


Maybe When Wolves Cry

by Winter_Snowing



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types
Genre: Emily has a nephew, F/M, It's mostly centered around the oc lives, M/M, Other, Post-Breaking Dawn, Three ocs are in this lmao
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-07
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-01-30 14:10:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 47,223
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12655101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Winter_Snowing/pseuds/Winter_Snowing
Summary: Amara White never had the easiest childhood. Neither had her life long friend, Maximus Young.After Amy's brother goes missing and she loses her home, she takes up Max on his offer to bring her up to La Push with him. His aunt, Emily Young, just became Emily Uley and she offers a house for him to move into while he's down to visit his new family.Neither is quite ready for what La Push throws at them. Then again, La Push isn't quite ready for the storm that seems to always follow the duo.Post!BreakingDawn by 4 yearsPaul Lahote x F!OCCollin Littlesea x M!OC_Updates on Fridays_





	1. Reluctant Restart

        She cried when she first saw the house. It was a loud sort of high pitched howl that made the two humans in the front give their own noisy groans in response. She had cried a lot during the drive, but when the truck began to slow down to enter the gravel driveway, she really let her vocals out.

        Canis - the small adolescent rat terrier that conquered the single row of back seats so she could pace back and forth in worry for her idle owners in front - was never good with roadtrips. Which was why her owners never took her anywhere by car and instead would leave her with one of their friends. They would’ve avoided taking Canis, but this was one trip they didn’t feel comfortable going on without the small dog.

        A woman slid out of the driver's seat with a stretch, while the man didn’t pause as he left the car. Instead he trotted around to open the back door to let the ansty dog out and onto stable ground. Canis immediately ran around to the back of the truck where the woman had moved so she could begin to unload.

        “You don’t want to go inside first?” The man asked, his black brows knitting when he watched the bright red-orange haired female pick up one of the large, heavy, bulging cardboard boxes up effortlessly. She was more of a silhouette with how the orange of the sunset shined brightly behind her, giving her a glowing white outline.

        “I’ll check it out while I grab stuff. Come and help me, Maximus.” Amusement laced her tone as she began walking over to the open porch. The man snorted, shaking his head. Instead of grabbing anything he looked to Canis, whistled to get the small pups attention, and then hurried to hold open the screen door for the pale girl.

        When the heavy boxes hit the floor a layer of dust explodes out from under them, reaching up to brush the girl's face. Canis trotted in, weaving between her owners so she could begin sniffing the new house.

        It hadn’t been touched in a long time, it’s old age given away by the hodgepodge of dirt and grime covering all of the visible surfaces, and the groaning of the hardwood floor under the man's boots as he walked. It smelled like mildew and damp wood, with hints of something smokey no one could quite place. They had heard that the house had been hand built by the previous owners, which could be seen by the personality the walls had with the soft carvings and designs, and by how the ceiling hung down farther back towards where the medium sized kitchen sat.

        Max, the deep coppery colored man, sat on the long sofa, cringing at the odd damp feeling he felt when his bare shoulders hit the back cushion. His deep brown eyes shined something sweet as he watched the orange haired woman walk in with another stack of boxes. He was sure, if she didn’t have her long sleeved shirt on, he’d see what muscles she had rippling in her back and in her thick arms as she moved. Her hazel eyes fell to Canis, who jumped up to sit with Max, giving him away to the working woman. He chuckled deeply, wearily, standing up quickly and jogging outside before he could feel the woman's wrath. Though he was 6’4, an impressive height, and she was only 5’11, which for a girl was still quite tall, he would definitely prefer facing a bear than the ginger. Yes, a bear would be easier than trying to go against that woman.

        The back of the denim blue truck was filled with boxes and crates that had been used to store things the duo needed to move in. Clothes, personal items like toiletries, dog necessities, and utilities for the kitchen (Max had been informed the kitchen was bare and cleaned out of anything electrical or useful). The boxes Amara, the freckle drowned and deep orange haired girl, had already carried inside were the four containing things for the kitchen and Canis. Other than what the two had packed, there were other things cluttering the back of the truck. Trash like old tabloid magazines that had molded to the sides from water and harsh sun, and stray fishing lines and hooks that had been deemed unusable and thrown from the tackle box without a second thought. In one of the back corners there was an old stuffed animal that must’ve been the moldy toy of Max’s younger sister, left there to be loved by insects instead of by his sibling. The girl probably had missed the toy when she first lost it, but not once had the child mentioned the missing bear during one of the calls she and his mother would give, so he assumed it was a long forgotten memory by this point.

        Max grabs the last of the boxes, stopping Amara on her way over before she makes the fruitless trek, and turns her back around.

        “Remind me to clean Blueberry,” Max says, following the ginger as she holds the door open for him before immediately closing it behind them. It’s not like it stopped the cold wet winds from going through the screen and filling the house, but neither were comfortable with leaving the useless door open, not yet atleast. Amara makes a silent note to herself to either build or buy a real door. For now, she thinks, a quilt hanging over it would be effective enough to keep out the cold.

        Amy throws her elbows up, twisting her body. There’s a pop in her back and she moans as she lets her speckled arms fall, pleased by the loose feeling she’d missed while cramped up in Max’s car.

        “Kay. We’ll clean blueberry tomorrow after we see your Aunt and go into town to shop.” She mumbles, more to herself than in reply to Maximus. She lifts her eyes from the boxes by her feet to watch him as he sets his load down to grab the packages labeled “kitchen”. He turns on his heel and heads just to the room in front of her, the only thing telling anyone that the large main room was divided between the living room and kitchen was the different flooring that suddenly checkered out just to the left of the door.

        Max’s light brown tank top hung loosely on his body but hugged his broad shoulders, sticking to him as he crouched down to begin sorting through the large box. First, he pulls out the one device Amy had actually been keen on bringing, and even flashes it to her with a big grin to remind her he had remembered to pack it. It was a little coffee and tea maker and the sight of it had the ginger smile and relax. She strode over to him, going to the box to begin sorting.

        The house was used and old, already weathered down and very much lived in even when the last owners were the ones to build the place. It had one thing, though, that had the two people ecstatic to move in. It was the selling point, if not the thought of having a stable, free, place to live in wasn’t already one.

        Electricity.

        Though it was far out into the woods of La push, even farther from the closest town, Forks, the house lights would turn on and the water ran effortlessly. There were outlets and a usable fridge, too. The two, especially Amy, who thought she had almost been homeless for a moment, were extremely grateful to Max’s Aunt,

        Amara suddenly paused, forgetting the box of utensils she had been sorting into a drawer in favor of slipping a hand into her pocket. Max stopped what he was doing to glance to the ginger. She casted her eyes to him as she dialed a number and then turned to leave the house to make her call. The black haired man watched her through the window above the kitchen sink for a quiet moment before glancing down to the oblivious puppy wagging her tail at his feet.

        “Think she’s calling her brother again?” He coo’d, kneeling so he could pet the excited animal. Canis was ignorant to the sadness that laced her owner's voice, happily licking his hand as he sighed and shook his head. This would be the seventh time Amara tried to reach her brother since they had climbed into Blueberry.

        Amy’s older brother, Percy, was Max’s age and had been his best friend when they all had gone to school together. It was because of him that allowed Maximus to meet Amara and form the type of bond they currently had. Percy would take little Amy by the hand and lead her to every single place he went, making sure to bring Max with him if the guy wasn’t grounded. The trio had done everything together from elementary to college.

        Max looked up to Percy. The boy was confident and strong, always being the first to settle arguments and keep his cool even in the most terrifying moments. The guy had a ridiculously contagious laugh, a big smile that drew in even the shyest of people, was loved by everyone in their neighborhood, and was just a natural born leader that lead the packs of people who hung on his every word and courageous statement. Amy loved her brother just as much, if not more, than Max. Percy was her knight in battered armor, protecting her from any and all enemies as if she was a damsel in distress. He became the parental figure in her life that neither of them had after middle school. He grew up too fast just so Amy didn’t have to. Percy was probably the only person who could pull out Amara’s rare fluttering giggles or get Maximus to show his shielded frowns and complaints.

        And Percy was missing.

        Amy walks back inside, immediately going back to sorting silverware. Max leaves Canis to silently continue plugging in the electronics like their toaster and microwave. He didn’t have to look to Amy’s face to know she hadn’t heard her brother's voice, or that she was now brooding like she always did when the phone calls fell through. He knew the ginger well enough that she needed a couple minutes of silence before he’d be able to speak to her and not be immediately shot down.

        Canis barks.

        “I’ll take her out.” Amy shuts the drawer, having just finished, and gives a small nod to Max as she passes him to follow the bouncing rat terrier. The boy blinks, folding up one of the now empty cardboard boxes.

        “Imma go pick my bed then!” He flashes a toothy smile, dashing to grab his box and run off before Amy could take a swipe.

        “No windows!” She hollers, hoping the over excited guy listens to her loud plea. All she gets is a loud boisterous laugh that has her snort. Amy hated sleeping in rooms with large windows that she could see out of from her bed. It was unnerving to her, and it was only okay if she wasn’t on a ground level floor. Something about the darkness of the outside with all of the shadows creeping close, reaching to grasp at the thin layer of glass separating them from where she’d lay- Amy shivers.

        Canis whines at her feet, pawing at the screen. “No, Canis,” She scolds quietly, pushing the door open so the dogs nails don’t hook. She notes this is another reason they need a real door.

        It’s much colder outside now that it’s dark, the sun having successfully, and completely, set since they had first arrived. Amy’s eyes are full of the star packed sky for a long moment, seeing if she could find Orion's belt and his two dogs- major and minor - before they fall back to Earth to trail after the white and black pup that had tentatively begun to explore the new “yard”. Canis already missed her outside back at where Amy lived before she and Max moved to La push. Amy did too. She didn’t like how the large thick trees loomed over the house or by how much of the forest crept right up to the driveway and hid away the exit back to the main road. Amara had always lived in populated towns that may not have been as packed like new york, but definitely bigger than tiny little Forks. Driving through there, even in the afternoon, showed how little there was of life and something about the small population upset Amy. Her mind, as she blindly watched Canis begin to creep closer to the denser tree line, began to wander to all of the possibilities.

        What if they needed to buy something important and they couldn’t find it in Forks? How far would they have to drive? Was their a vet close? What if something happened to Canis? What if something happened to one of them, where was the closest hospital? They were supposed to meet Max’s Aunt, Emily, tomorrow, but what if she decided she didn’t like them and kicked them from the house? Without it, Amy would definitely be homeless without the paycheck from her and Percy to pay for their original home- it was the whole reason Amara traveled up with Max in the first place.

        There is a loud rumbling, and then something heavy slams against one of the large trees in front of Amy. The girls snaps back to reality to see Canis had run back to cower by her feet- something she’d never seen her fearless dog do before. She squints in the dark, trying to see what was making the shrubbery and singular tree shake. Quickly, Amara decides she doesn’t give a fuck about whatever is in the dark as the throaty quiver of a growl sends her heart cold and to the pit of her stomach. She scoops up Canis and turns and sprints back to hide inside.

        Locking the screen door behind her wouldn’t help against whatever was large enough to shake the massive pines and make such a bone rattling groan, but it made her feel better. She jogged to the back of the house to find where Max had gone, refusing to let her whimpering dog back down to her paws.

        Max was in the bedroom on the left out of the two at the end of the hall, pulling out clothes from a crate and throwing them onto his bare mattress. He had yet to put any of the sheets or blankets on, deciding that he’d rather get his closest filled first. That, or he couldn’t find the cloth to make his bed and decided to fix his clothes first.

        He immediately feels Amy’s presence in his doorway and looks up to find her wide eyed, confused look centered on him. He opens his mouth, looking ready to tease, but the way Amy’s eyes flicker in the light has him stop and stand up fully.

        “What happened?” He asks immediately, knowing the worry coating Amy’s features was something rare for the woman and it was not to be taken lightly.

        “I think there’s a bear outside,” She replied, nervously glancing back out the door, having a clear view all the way back to the front of the house where the two large windows showed the deep blue outside.

        “Did you see it?” He asks, pushing around her gently as if he was going to stand protectively before her like the bear was inches from his face.

        “No. Just growling.” Max frowned heavily, staring at the front of the house for a long moment before glancing back to Amy. She’d set Canis back down.

        “You don’t have to worry. It’s not going to go on a rampage or something. Bears are pretty lax as long as you don’t get between them and food. Or their kids.” Max gives one of his signature grins, something that does well to ease Amy. She hadn’t been shaken up badly, so the small amount of reassurance immediately calmed her nerves. He ruffles her curly mess of hair before nudging her shoulder. “You should go get some rest. You drove practically the entire time-”

        “Yeah. What the hell was that about?” Max laughs, shaking his head as Amy raises an accusing brow.

        “You know I don’t like driving,” He practically whines. The noise is effective in getting Amara to spin around on her heel to immediately leave. Max laughs at that, watching her as she quickly heads to the living room to grab her own box of personal items and clothes. She hesitates, looking back out the large windows for the bear she may, or may not have, almost encountered, before turning the lights off and heads to the room just next to Max’s.

        “Good night Maxxie.”

        “Night Ames.”

        Canis looks ready to head over to the woman’s room, but is stopped by the click of her door shutting and Max’s soft whistle. She turns, running back to her man to jump up onto his bare bed. He scratches her ear affectionately before pulling wads of navy blue sheets from the bottom of his box, shoving it to the side to remind himself to finish in the morning.

        “Off, Canis,” He mumbles, immediately clothing his mattress and throwing his thick homely comforter on top. They looked like that had been through quite the trip. They had, really. Had the same one since he and Amara were kids. It wasn’t that it smelled or was covered in stains, but it was closer to being threads than a complete blanket. Battered and beat, but still holding memories he couldn’t bare to throw away just yet. Canis is quick to jump back up and curl in the fluff. Max rolls his eyes.

        Stripping himself of his jeans, leaving him in his tank and briefs, he removes the small solid gauges from his ears, setting them to the bedside table. For a moment his hand reaches for the metallic green lip ring but he stops himself.

        He’d gotten it pierced the same day that Percy had gotten his own. Max and him wanted to surprise Amy by getting the lip rings on the left of their mouths to match the scar just in the same spot on her own face. Back then, it was an angry red that split her lips and had her embarrassed to go out with it maimed in such a way, so the boys thought it’d comfort her if they had something in the same spot. Now her scar was a soft white that came from just next to her nose down to her jaw and she’d make fun of the piercing Max had, because it was the same one that led him to getting the two piercings on his right end of his brow and the gauges. She joked she was a bad influence.

        He turned his room’s light off, throwing himself under his blankets.

        Tomorrow, when Amy and him went shopping in Forks, he’d check on bear repellent. Also generally repellent of any large animal that might come wandering close. What was in the forest? He’d imagine deer, but there had to be a predator that made sure those herbivores didn’t overrun the woods. What hunted deer other than people? Probably wolves, then. It was odd thinking that bears and wolves could be slinking outside his window during the night. He’d have to ask Emily if she had any trouble with wild animals, living even a bit farther into the La push forests. He was sure she’d have some idea.


	2. Never Liked Being a Guest Pt. 1

        Out of the two new owners of the home, Amy was the one who woke up early in the morning to start out her day with a cup of coffee, or tea, depending how she felt. Max would also wake up early, but would head for food first, instead of something to drink. Of course, they had yet to go shopping, so while Amy was sipping on her hot cup of coffee, standing by the front door to survey the forest, Max was silently sobbing at the empty fridge and the rumbling of his empty gut.

        “Amy-” He drew out, turning from the kitchen so he could wobble his way to the eye rolling woman. Her hair was wild- wilder than it was during the day, which was something. Her hair was a mass of silky curls that stopped at her jaw. Usually, it would look like it fell in a way to cradle her heavily spotted cheeks on purpose, and she’d be able to push her bangs off of her forehead. However, this early, it reminded Max of a grouchy lion’s mane that would be called majestic by passersby, but if it was fully studied the tangles and mess of it could easily be pointed out.

        “Hungry?” Amy asked, watching as Max groaned and flopped his head onto her shoulder. His stomach yelled out again, loud enough for the female to clearly hear it. She snorted, rolling her eyes. She nudged the man off, setting her coffee cup down as she crouched near one of the last boxes needing unpacking. Going through it, she quickly finds what she wanted and presents it to Max.

        It’s a protein bar. Not much, but enough that Max sighs in relief and snatches it from Amy’s hold, wolfing it down.

        “We can either stop at a diner on the way to Emily’s, or we can head out early to do all of our shopping.” Amy grabs her mug again as Max balls up his wrapper and stuffs it in his pocket instead of going to find a trash can.

        “What time is it?” Maximus turns from Amy so he can open the front door and let out Canis, who had begun to claw at the screen. The action signals both to follow the dog outside. Amy leans onto the railing of the porch while Max follows the dog out further and stands out in the sun. It felt nice on his coppery skin and he sighed contently.

        “About seven, I think,” Amy mumbles, her eyes also going up to the sky. “I thought you said it was always raining and cloudy here.”

        “It is. I think this is the first time I’ve ever felt the sun while here.” He childishly holds his arms out, as if a plant trying to get as much sunlight as possible. “Let’s go shopping, and then I’ll call Emily.”

        Amy nodded, drinking the last of her cup before she turned and headed back inside to change into warmer clothing. Just because the sunshine decided to grace La push, it didn’t mean it had warmed it up any, especially not so early in the morning.

        A fluffy blue-grey turtleneck and black jeans would have to do, Amy thought, putting warmer clothes on the mental shopping list. She had only a long sleeve shirt and the current sweater she wore, never having a need for anything too cozy since Max and her had lived in Nevada. He had packed well, knowing the weather well enough since he’d grown up in the Makah reservation just next to La push. Max hadn’t warned Amy in time for her to get a new wardrobe. Though, if he had, she still would probably be in the same predicament. It’s not like she had money to buy new clothes. She’d probably have to just get a sweatshirt she’d be able to wear over her other shirts.

        Walking back outside, Max had taken her spot at the wooden banister. He was spinning his keys, lost in thought as he stared off into the woods. Amy goaded Canis back into the house before she turned her full attention onto her friend.

        “Are you glad you’re back?” Her voice is obviously heard by Max, but his eyes don’t immediately move to her. Instead his smile stretches even more, filling out with his white teeth.

        “I am. I missed the green. Nevada is just all desert, ya know?” He hummed, finally shifting his deep brown orbs onto the ginger. “I never really saw much of La push, even with how close it was to where the Makah reservation was. I mean, I did once a year when we’d all gather for a giant bonfire to celebrate the bond the Makah and Quileute tribes had. I remember those the most, out of everything.” He paused, stilling his keys. “That… And mom.” Amy nodded slowly, watching as Max tried to push back the gloom that creeped onto his features. When he noticed Amara’s omniscient hazel eyes boring into him, reading his emotions like a book - something he’d noticed a long time ago only the White siblings could do - he brushed her off with a big smile. “Let’s hurry and get everything so we can go see my sisters!” He turns, jogging to the truck like an excited kid. Amara snorts at the excitement, wondering if over sized babies should have stubble and piercings.

        Amy climbs into the passenger seat of Blueberry, the truck she had helped chip in money for back when she was starting college just so Max could give her rides, glad she didn’t have to drive. Maximus, as soon as they both had buckled, immediately began pulling out of the long “driveway” and to the main road, heading to Forks.

        “What’re their names agai-?”

        “Sadie and Claire,” Max says before Amy’s words fully finished. He went a bit red at his obvious excitement, but refused to stop smiling. Amara couldn’t stop her own from forming, watching her friend become so happy.

        Maximus wasn’t present for the birth of his first sister, Sadie. Nor was he there for the second one, Claire. In fact, he hadn’t even known his mother was pregnant with either child before it was too late. It wasn’t his mother's fault for not informing him, but mostly his father's. His dad had blocked his mom’s cell number and even her sister’s when she tried to get in contact. The divorce hadn’t gone well. When does a divorce go well?

        Maximus, when he was a kid, loved his dad and didn’t mind moving down to Nevada with him. However, when he got older, it was apparent that he was more trapped in the state than he originally thought. If it hadn’t been for Percy and Amy, Max was sure he would’ve run away from home a long time ago to escape his father's tightening grip.

        It wasn’t until Max went to college, successfully moving into the dorms and away from his dad's browbeating gaze, that he was able to finally drive back home to meet his sisters for the first time. He tried to go and see them as much as possible. Would’ve moved if it wasn’t for that the idea of leaving Amy and Percy alone left a sour taste in his mouth. Guiltily, he was happy he was here now, with Amara, staying in the house Emily handed them - even if Amy was only with him because of the horrible situation she had fallen into.

        The ride to forks feels all too short, much shorter than it had felt when Amara had been the one driving.

        They first stop off at a small diner, filling up Maximus so he’d be able to completely wake up and drive properly - though Amy only relented that they’d stop because she was also hungry and definitely not because she was worried about how the car drifted as her friend tried to keep his eyes open. They spend an uneventful hour there, taking their sweet time to chat and chew slowly on their food. The waitress on duty was all too happy to constantly refill the square jawed mans cup of coffee and the sweet lipped woman’s mug of tea. The server was especially pleased when she was given a large tip when the duo left.

        The two quickly hit the grocery store next, splurging on food to sustain them for a couple of weeks. Amara was against spending so much of Max’s money on so much food, but he only waved her off, saying he had more than enough and a steady income at the moment. Plus, if he was going to buy anything, it was going to be food. Other than a mixture of many different kinds of junk food, something that had them both rolling their eyes at their own unhealthy tendencies, they kept to canned food and things that could still be eaten if there was a sudden power outage. Max didn’t feel comfortable with how far out their house was, and he hadn’t missed how the lights would sometimes flicker, leading him to think there might be a faulty wire somewhere under the ground. Amara didn’t protest, but did insist on frozen foods, rattling on that if they did lose power, it was cold enough that they could just throw their freezer items outside.

        Maximus started to laugh at Amy’s sorry excuse to set frozen dumplings in their cart when his phone started to ring.

        The two exchanged a small look before he answered.

        “This is Max.”

        “Max!” The voice was sweet, practically cooing the boy's name in excitement. Maximus recognizes it immediately. When he smiles, Amy seemed to surmise who it was and walks just a step away to start searching for more appetizing frozen foods.

        “Emily, hey!” Max leans onto the cart.

        “Did you arrive at the house okay?” A tinge of worry is clear in her voice.

        “Yeah. Ames found it pretty easily. Sorry I didn’t call yesterday, I totally forgot.” He chuckles nervously, his eyes falling to his hand before slowly lifting to watch Amy.

        “Ames…?” Emily pauses. “Amara?”

        “Yeah yeah, the girl I told you about during my last visit. The one living with me.”

        “Right!  After hearing you talk so much about her I’m excited to meet her today.” Emily laughs. Then, in the background, there's a loud commotion. Max raises a brow, trying to sort out the noise. He could hear something wooden breaking and then a bunch of hoots and hollers.

        “Emil-”

        “Boys,” Says the Aunt slowly, her voice a bit distant as she had pulled away from her phone and most likely covered the speaker with her palm in hopes he wouldn’t hear. Max felt a shiver at the sickly sweet tone she was using. He could perfectly imagine the tight smile she was sending whoever was trashing her house, having had it sent to him multiple times.

        The sound in the background immediately stops.

        “Seems you're fitting right in with Sam’s family,” Max comments, chuckling. Emily sighs heavily, but he can hear the smile in her voice.

        “They’re a...handful. But loveable. They’re only this excited because they found out about you coming to visit.”

        “I don’t even know them though…”

        “That’s just how they are. A friend of a family is just another family member to them. Plus, I cook more when I have visitors.” Max laughs loudly, gaining Amara’s curious gaze. “Speaking of which, do you think you could head to the store before you come over?” Meeting Amara’s eyes, he smiles and waves her back over.

        “Sure. What ya need?”

        “Just another bag of flour,” Emily says. There’s shifting on her end and then she speaks again. “And onion powder, actually.”

        “Got it. Lucky you, we’re already at the store.” He says this proudly. When Emily hears it in his tone she gives a puff of laughter and most likely rolls her eyes.

        “Well then. You can come over any time, but the onion powder and flour are your entrance tickets. I’m sure you’ll want to meet the guys before you eat.”

        “Alright! Definitely something I’d want to do before I steal your food. See you soon Emmy.”

        “Bye Max.”

        As soon as he slides his phone into his pocket he throws a coppery arm around Amara’s shoulder, dragging her off to another aisle.

        They quickly finish up the rest of their little shopping trip and head back out to their truck.

        “You ready to meet my Aunt?” Maximus asks, shutting the back seat door where he’s stowed the groceries instead of putting them in the way back. Amara had already situated herself in the passenger seat, phone in hand to act as a mirror as she tried to fix her lion’s mane.

        “I would probably feel better if it was just your aunt.” She says dryly, setting her phone down to send the man next to her a small nervous look. “I feel like I’m being invited to spend my first holiday with my boyfriend's family- and they’ve never met me before.” Max cringes, starting the car.

        “It’s not that big of a deal. I don’t even know ‘em. Just Emily. Other than her, it’s just some of the local Quileute tribe members. They feed the lot every other night.” Max grins to himself at the warm thought of such a large family environment. His eyes chance glances to Amara, who’d seemed to lighten up at the details given. She always felt better when she gained information, even if the pressure hadn’t been relieved.

        “Just dinner?” She pipes up after a pregnant pause.

        “Just dinner. For today.” Max gives a jostle of his shoulder, trying to keep his eyes on the road. “I’d like to visit them often. Get to know the guys taking care of Aunt Em. She’s practically another sister to me.”

        “Isn’t she only a year or two older than you?”

        “Yeah. Grew up with her when I was still living in the Makah reservation. Then saw her a bunch when I could during college.” Max gives a flash of teeth as his eyes flicker to Amy. “She’s great. Even though she was practically my age, she was so proud to be called an aunt that she tried to hold it over me all the time. Treated me like I was her kid or something.” He hums, his eyes softening on the road in front of him as Amy watched him intently. “She liked playing house; liked being relied on. And I liked someone paying attention to me.”

        The car sped forward as soon as it hit the dirt road for the deeper parts of La Push. Maximus didn't seem to realize as something painful flickered across his features. Immediately his friend saw and recognized it.

        “Em would go on for hours about how one day she'd marry someone and have kids and then she'd make me come live with her so that I was away from my dad.” Max blurted. His hands tightened then, gripping the steering wheel.

        Amy sat up straight, leaning over the middle pouch between the two front seats so she could gently set her calloused hand onto the copper skinned arm of Max. He visibly relaxed, giving a rare, real frown as he took a sharp right, immediately slowing when the car slipped a bit in the gravel of the new driveway. Neither had noticed that they had already come upon Aunt Emily’s house.

        “She…” Maximus began slowly, the car coming to a halt. However, when he pulled his keys out he didn't move. “Promised too much.” When he found Amy’s understanding eyes a sigh shook him. The woman hinted to a small smile as she patted the man's arm.

        “She liked playing mom, right? ” Amy asked gently, her voice small but clear in the silent truck. “Moms promise too much all the time. For sake of the people they want to protect.” Then, with another comforting smile, she pops her car door open and slips out. Max stared at her empty seat before clapping a hand to his cheek to snap him out of the funk he had so quickly put himself in.

        Anytime he thought of little Emily leading him around by the hand while his mother, her older sister, watched with warm eyes, sent him through a mixture of emotions. Love, jealousy, regret, happiness… He needed to talk to his Aunt. Desperately.

        “Hey, Max,” As soon as the brunette slipped out of the car he’s greeted with a heavy frown on Amy’s lips. The woman sighed, gesturing to the back seats and it only just dawns on them both that they had forgotten about the frozen food they had bought. Max gives a childish groan that has Amara snorting as she can’t help but grin at his upset.

        “You stay here. I’ll go and take it back to-”

        “No,” She cuts in, “I wanted the frozen stuff. I’ll go take it back.”

        “What, no. I want you to meet everyone.”

        “I still will, but you’re the one they’re all really expecting. Our place is close. I’ll just drive over, put the stuff in the fridge, and then be back before dinner.” As Maximus opened his mouth to protest again, Amy swiped his keys from his hand. “I’m not going to meet you’re new family alone.” Max quickly shuts his mouth, immediately recognizing the slight raise of panic in Amy’s tone. The woman wasn’t shy. At least, not when people got to know her. If anything, she was the complete opposite of shy. She just needed time to warm up. Leaving her to chill with people even Max didn’t know wasn’t smart.

        “Be back before dinner.” He says cheekily.

        “It’s only one,” Amy said, but then returns the teasing look as she shoves a plastic bag into his hand. “But don’t worry dad.” Max cringed, giving the reaction Amara was going for and he groaned when he heard her laugh as she shut herself safely into the car.

        Just as his Blueberry began pulling out, the front door of the house behind him noisily opened.

        “Max?”

        “Emmy!” At the familiar voice Maximus spins around and is immediately met with a body hitting his. He laughs loudly, hugging the woman and picking her up as he spun them around. As soon as he set her down they were hugging again.

        “It’s been so long,” Emily says, finally pulling away. As always, when Max looked down to the woman, her height much smaller than his, his eyes connected with two things. Firstly, how big her smile was as she beamed up at him. Every time he’d come and see her she’d look so amazingly happy by his presence alone- an odd event, since the only people to ever be happy like that was his sisters, Amara, and Percy. Secondly, the three large scars that had been imbedded deeply on the right side of her face. To him, they were still fresh and angrily new, but to her they must’ve been old memories. Maybe it was because he ever so rarely saw her. He could still picture her giving her giant smile at him when they were younger, but now half of her lips would never pull up like before.

        “I was here just three months ago.” Max said. “Or, I visited you when you were visiting mom and the girls.” Maximus grinned, remembering how excited his mom had been to see her son and her sister in the same trip.

        “Still. I always find myself waiting for the next time you’ll call and say you’ll drive up.”

        “Well, now you don’t have to.” Max grins widely. “Now I get to fully crash at your place whenever I want and eat all your food.”

        “Oh. Like I need anymore of that.” She shook her head, smiling. Emily seemed ready to turn and show off her home, but she paused just beforehand and casted a confused look to the empty gravel and dirt road. “Max, I thought you were bringing Amara?” Emily looked a bit upset, seemingly excited at the idea of meeting Max’s long time friend. At her tiny pout that oh-so-rarely ever crossed her face - not since Maximus, when they were kids, told her it made her looks his age - Max wildly shook his head.

        “I am! I did!” At Emily’s sleek eyebrow raise, he chuckled wearily. “Well, when we were out shopping we got a bunch of food and we forgot to drop it off.” He then held out the shopping bag. “But she’ll be back. Anyway. Here’s the flour and onion stuff you wanted.” Emily nodded, looking better, taking the bag as she waved for Max to follow her.

        Aunt Emily’s house looked like it was set up similarly to Max and Amara’s. The wooden home was nestled back into a small pocket clearing of trees, but still heavily surrounded by forest. The front had a porch that overlooked the driveway and a comforting overhang that would stop too many pine needles from clumping by the door. The house even had the same single screen door and two giant windows on either side. Maybe the two house had been built by the same people?

        Stepping inside, Max could practically feel how lived in and loved the place was. From the askew chairs at the small dinner table that showed how often they were used to the cluttered shelves full of personality that had be accumulated from more than just simply two people. The house was now clearly much different than his. Amy and him had just moved in, and through the house seemed to have been dormant for years before they set foot inside, it still barely looked lived in after they had cleared some of the dust away.

        Emily immediately went to the kitchen that was only separated from the rest of the house by an island and a tall set of shelves. She set the bag Max had given her down next to a handful of other cooking related boxes - something he knew even Amara wouldn’t know about, no matter how intelligent she was - and then spun around to give another cheery smile.

        “The guys are all out back,” She gestured over her shoulder to another visible screen door across the room, past a couple of soft looking couches. Max didn’t have to strain himself to hear the loud bouts of laughter and grunting from outside. He could only assume they were all playing some game. When his black eyes shifted up and met Emily’s matching set, he couldn’t help but laugh. He quickly headed into the kitchen, knowing the look he was being sent. It was Emily’s famous “I’m telling you to go play but really you’re going to help now” kind of look Max had thought only mothers could possess.

        “What do you need?” He asked breathlessly.

        “Aw! You’re so sweet Maxxie,” Emily coos, trying to play oblivious. Immediately she pushes a couple of bottles of spice into the man’s arms and nudges him to go to one of the cabinet. “Just put those up there.”

        “...Where up here?”

        “Just...Up there. I’ll fix them later.” Max gave her a look, thinking what help he was really being if he was just shoving stuff into random places, but almost immediately began throwing them away inside.

        Next to him, Emily began boiling a pot of water before pulling out multiple chickens and setting them up on different pans to set in the oven when it had properly heated itself up.

        “So…” Max began slowly, pausing just before he threw flour in with the spices. Emily gave a sideways glance to him before she adjusted the pot. “Sam’s my age, right?”

        “Right.” Max nodded slowly, watching Em as she prepared the raw chicken, wondering why she was cooking so many. It looked like she had killed an entire flock of chicken.

        “Do you always have to feed so many people?” His aunt gave a smile as she sighed happily.

        “Yeah, and I’ve become a great chef because of it.” She nudged him with a funny look that had him nudge her away with a hidden laugh. “Everyone comes around all the time.”

        “Do you mind it?” Max asked, trying to hide the worry in his tone.

        “I don’t. Its...nice. It’s like a big happy family.” She throws two of the chickens in the oven

        “That's...nice.” He relents, avoiding her gaze this time so he can help her with the preparing of the other chickens. They looked pre-gutted, which was something that eased Max’s nerves. He was more than okay with helping his aunt prepare food for the numerous amounts of guys, but he wasn’t sure if he’d go as far as sticking his hand up a dead packaged bird. When he had first seen her pull out the chickens, his felt his stomach start to roll. He was never good with raw meat. Or, well, meat in general.

        “Still a vegetarian?” Aunt Emily suddenly asks, a knowing air about her before Max can even open his mouth. “Don’t worry, I’ll make you something other than,” She gestures to the flock. “This.” Maximus laughs - a warm brassy jingling that makes Emily smile just a bit wider - as he pushes one of the said birds to her.

        “I am. And I’m telling you, it's not going to change over the span of a couple of months. Aren’t you tired of asking?” His aunt shrugs, stepping around him to wash her hands of the raw chicken before she moves to the fridge to pull out green.

        “Just checking,” She steps around him, again, to move to a chopping board that had been sitting out since Max arrived. He watches her move, a bit on edge with how the knife slips a bit on the wet produce, but finds his mind going back onto his earlier mission.

        “Who exactly is coming over?”

        This time Emily fully looked to her nephew, stilling her hands. She rose a brow, not used to Max being so curious. It wasn’t that he was a goody two shoes that never went off the painted path - in fact she’d heard many horror stories about his rebellious phase from her sister - but he acted before he asked. At her bewildered look Max’s cheeks began to heat, but he looked away and refused to answer her silent question. How was he supposed to tell his aunt that he was asking just to fill in his information absorbing friend just so she’d feel comfortable?

        “Well… There’s Sam, Jacob, Paul, Embry, Seth, Leah, and Jared, at the moment. Quil went to go pick up Collin, Brady, and Claire.” That peeked Max’s interest.

        “Claire? My sister?” Emily blinked, her eyes ghosting to the confused man as she began to move the knife once more.

        “Um...Claire comes over to visit me a lot, and Quil is her official babysitter. He’s kind of like a nanny.” She laughs, pausing so she could reflect on the inside joke that had Max fighting a frown.

        “I’ve never heard of Quil.” He felt it might’ve been an important fact that his mother would have told him. He didn’t like the idea of some guy being his sister's “nanny”. Why couldn’t his mom take care of her and Sadie by herself? Had she been having problems? If Max had known she was struggling raising the girls he would’ve gone and lived with her - even if it meant parting from his friends. Maybe...She had realized that.

        “You’ll meet him today. Everyone’s here for dinner tonight. Or, the usuals at least.”

        Emily turned to Max, taking a minute of her own to look over him. Something in her face shifted, and she no longer held the same happy spark of teasing enjoyment.

        “Why don’t you go out back to meet everyone?” The man didn’t answer or move, deciding he hated when this look went across his aunt’s face.

        “I’m good. I’m helping you-”

        “You should meet them,” She interrupts. Her eyes holding him even as she turns back to the cutting board, picking up the chopped green to throw into the simmering pot. “You’re going to like them, Max.”

        “I will,” He said, a slight whine to his tone like a badgered child. “You know, you sound like a mom trying to get her antisocial kid to make friends.”

        It’s quiet, a heavenly peace for Maximus, as Emily adds broth to the brewing stew.

        “I...Just want you all to get along.”

        “Em…”

        “Last time you visited you didn’t want to even meet Sam.”

        “Yeah, well, that’s ‘cause I was with mom and my sisters.” Emily gave him a hard look.

        “Max will you just...try?” Her look then softened and fell further. “You make friends so easily when you try.”

        “You definitely sound like my mother…” He sighs and throws his hands up in a surrendering kind of way. “You know, it’s only ‘cause I've always ever needed you guys.” He shrugs, looking down to his hands to chip away at a small hangnail. “I have Amara and...Her brother. Then you, mom, Sadie, and Claire. I just don’t really see the need to…” He trailed off, realising that if Amy was there, she’d be stopping him and telling him it wasn’t the place nor time to have one of his episodes, like the one he’d had in the truck. He tucked away the subject to either bring up later when he had personal time with his Aunt, or back home with Amy. Either would do. “I’ll go say hey,” He finished instead, sending Emily a blinding smile that had her grinning right back.

        “When you listen to me it just helps everyone,” She said sarcastically, laughing at the boy who rolled his eyes.

        “By this time you’d think i’d remember that.” Emily waved him off, and he made the same motion back at her as he stuck his tongue out. Before he could have her retaliating, he hurried to the back of the house and out the door.

        Taking his first step outside he’s met with a very...normal scene. Something he’s pretty sure he’d see in some kind of commercial.

        Six guys look like they’re playing some version of free-for-all football, throwing it between hands and making grabs at each other as they run back and forth. Max almost expected picnic benches and a kid with a kite to be in the scene. Like a perfect family outing where in a couple seconds a spokesperson would start talking about needing a new van to get everyone around. The only thing that stopped the little illusion was, well, two things really.

        For starters, there was a woman just off to the side, watching it all, looking like she was itching to be in the middle of it. Though her posture screamed she could care less, along with the seemingly permanent scowl scrawled across her face, her eyes almost glowed when one of the men slammed into another for a tackle. She even jumped a bit, looking like even her body was imagining running with them and making her own grapple.

        The second thing that threw Max for a loop was how rough and fast the guys were. It was insane how quickly the ball hopped between hands, changing owner every other second. And when they dove for a tackle, it almost always hit, and it looked like it hit the hard. Sometimes so much so they’d both go flying, rolling across the uneven ground, covering them in grass and dirt, before both would jump up and join the scrap once more.

        “Oh, hey! It’s the new guy!” As soon as the voice called out Max’s appearance at the back door, all activity stopped. The current man with the ball, who was the tallest out of them all - which was impressive because just about everyone outside looked to be 6’ plus. He jogged to a halt, stepping out of his top speed just so he could swing a look, like all the rest, over to Max. However, unlike the rest, his face lit up and he gave a big, toothy smile as he turned to start another jog - this time towards the newcomer.

        “Hey!” He said just before he tugged Maximus into a burly hug. “It’s good to see you again, man!” When the russet colored man pulled back, still patting and gripping at the confused guest. Max blink slowly, trying to pull himself together. This is the second time he was truly confused by someone seeming so happy to see him. This time even more so since it was by a complete stranger.

        “Uh- It’s nice to see you too?” Max chuckles weakly, smiling even though he wasn’t sure how to really act. The man gave a dip of his brow and then he frowned.

        “Dude you don’t remember?” He then paused. “That...Makes sense.” He laughs, pulling his hands from Max’s personal space. “It’s Jacob. Jacob Black. When we were kids we used to run around the big bonfire between the tribes to see how close we could get before we got yelled at.” Maximus stares, blinking a couple times, trying to shift through his own memories. He, of course, remembered the celebration once a year between the Quileute and Makah tribes. His fondest memories before his parent’s divorced. He and his mom would talk about those nights the most. Partly because these were the only things he could bring up before the divorce that didn’t seal his mother’s lips. Though they were vivid and colorful in his mind's eyes, the face of the people in the memories were hazy and disfigured. He could picture his mom, yes, but the little boy who ran around the bonfire was a mystery to him. But...He did relent that Jacob did have a familiar air about him.

        “It’s been too long,” Maximus says instead of voicing his thoughts, laughing when jacob pulled him in again for a quick hug and slap on the back. “You’ve changed a lot since a kid,” Max then snickered. “Remember when you were the one to always throw small piece of wet wood into the fire?”

        “Scared the hell out the parents,” Jacob said, laughing. Max hummed, looking over his old acquaintance. Friend? Perhaps. But they had only seen each other once a year- and that was before Maximus completely left the state.

        Compared to Max’s hazy memory, Jacob was completely different. The little six year old who was shorter than Max, and also leaner, was now towering and packed with muscles. Maximus was no where near the same build, but he wasn’t skinny either. He was broad shouldered with his own muscles chiseled into his frame - but he was definitely in Jacob’s shadow in that area.

        “So where’d you go?” The large man asks. At this point the other guys had began to walk over.

        “Didn’t Aunt Em tell you? Went to Nevada to live with my dad.” Max then shrugs, grinning. “It kind of sucked to be honest. All there is, is sand and sun. A complete opposite of this place.”

        “That sounds great!” One of the guys suddenly added, smiling at the others around him that nodded in agreement. They probably imagined getting days free-for-all days like today.

        “Great until it's every single day. No trees and just sand. Everywhere. Even the beach doesn’t feel good anymore.” Max shakes his head, crossing his arms.

        “Don’t have to worry about that here,” The third tallest man says, shaking his head with a loud breath through his nose. As there was a pause of silence, Max’s eyes caught the sixth man of the group move from his position by the house. He’d been the only one of the group, other than the female, to not immediately move over to Max.

        “It’s good to see you here, Max.” The man said, a warm smile etching into his face as he held out his large hand. Max nodded, returning the look as he took the hand and gave it a hearty shake.

        “You’re Sam, aren’t you? I’m happy to be here. Thanks for letting me stay.” Sam chuckled, a rumbling kind of laugh that Max could feel through his hand before it was dropped.

        “You’re family, now.” He states, making Max’s stomach give a small flip. “Also Em would’ve divorced me on the spot if I’d said no.” Maximus couldn’t help but snort. It was so true it was painful. Emily was always one to care almost too much for her family.

        “Still. It means a lot.” The man, only nodded, patting Max’s arm. Sam would, most likely, never get what Maximus meant. Which was fine. He was sure the only people who knew how much the house meant was Amara and Emily. His Aunt had barraged him with questions on Amy when he asked if the girl could come and live with him, so after speaking to Amara, he spilled the tea about her situation. Em was all too welcoming of it and, at this point, she probably considered Amy as family as much as he himself did. Amara’s life wasn’t a story for him to tell people like a piece of gossip, so unless it was pressed, he asked Em to not say anything about it. Sam didn’t understand, but that was okay. People did kind things all the time without specifically being aware of it.

        “By the way,” Sam began, gesturing to the boys by him. “This is Jacob, Paul, Jared, Seth, and Embry.” Each boy gave a nod and wave in turn. Paul didn’t wave, but he gave a grunt and a jerky nod in greeting, which was enough in Max’s book. “And over there is Leah.” He pointed to the lone female by the house. She looked up, hearing her name, and literally snarled at Max before turning and walking around the side of the building out of sight.

        “Did I…?” Max began in confusion, but the youngest looking boy just sighed and shook his head.

        “No. Leah just-”

        “Hates everyone,” Jared filled in, gaining him a harp look from Seth. The kid then faulted and made a breathless nod of agreement.

        “Doesn’t like new people, really.” He shook his head, giving a small glance to Jacob before smiling at Max. “I’m gonna go after her. See you later, Max!” He then jogged off, heading towards the forest instead of the direction Leah had gone.

        “And I think I’ll be heading inside.” Sam stated, looking over the grassy field of backyard. He then grinned and nodded Max’s way. He gave another strong pat to the man’s arm before turning and heading inside.

        As soon as Sam was out of sight, the group of eyes sent looks onto Max. Studying him in a way that, normally, would’ve made his skin crawl, if he wasn't already used to the feeling. The guys were sizing him up, searching for answers for unasked questions. The only difference between their eyes and Amara’s, was theirs didn't look like they were finding anything. Amy would take one look at someone and they'd feel like she had found everything. Half the time it was true, too. That woman was like some modern version of sherlock. They'd simply have conversations where she'd talk for the both of them because she already knew anything he'd say just with a glance.

        A cars pulls into the driveway. They can all hear the engine and the gravel slipping. As it turns off, Max half expects Amara to come walking into the scene with her owl-like eyes and resting frown. Probably some witty anger on her tongue, prepared for Max, that would die away at the sight of the strangers.

        However, his ginger is nowhere to be seen.

        “Sorry for being late!” A new voice calls out, along with two others that are more high pitch. They yell out whoops of cheer as they burst out into view, rounding the side of the house. The first one out has wild eyes and an even wilder amount of hair on his head. He almost immediately skids to a halt when he sees Max, and then the one running out behind him runs into his back with a loud smack.

        “What the hell Collin!” The fallen kid grunts, rubbing his nose. Walking around his friend, he follows the line of sight, and also meets Max’s raised brow expression. Except he doesn't freeze up and just sends an accusing look to Collin. “You’re gonna freak him out if you just give him that look.” The kid then nudges his friend, who goes red and pushes the other back. Before they can start wrestling a man with curly locks and an undercut comes outside and wedges himself between them.

        “Knock it off,” He mumbles rolling his eyes. “You two have been at it since you got in the car.” He then specifically pins the second kid with a narrowed look. “And watch the language.” He jostles the bundle in his arms gently, pointing out the child shaped blanket as if to remind them he was carrying a little one. Max look over the trio before something lit in his gut and his eyes zeroed in on the child the man was holding.

        “Claire?” Was all Max said, which gathered a couple of glances. The blanket shifted in the russet set of arms and a brunette little head suddenly popped out the top. She twisted, rubbing at her eyes. First, they found the curly haired man looking down on her, and then they flew back to focus on Max.

        “Max.” She replied sleepily. Then, the name clicked in her mind and a smile that rounded her rosy cheeks stretched onto her cherubic face. “Maxxie!” The man, still holding onto Max’s sister, walked over to the group so the little girl could get her hands onto her brother. Maximus’s face lit up as soon as she was close enough and swooped the giggling girl up.

        “CC,” He cooed, hugging her tightly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face into his black messy hair.

        “I missed you.” Claire mumbled, her arms tightening. The tender tone had Max fighting a frown as he gently pulled away from her. He lifted his pierced brow.

        “I saw you just a little while ago, though.”

        “Too long!” Her lips pouted, her eyes narrowing in an accusing way that reminded Max of their mom.

        “Sorry. But I’m here now, yeah?” He grinned something silly that peeked Claire’s interest and just as she reached out to cover his mouth, he started laughing loudly. So loud, in fact, it sounded like some kind of horrible take on a super villain's laugh. It made Claire giggle though. It was an innocent scene, the older brother making his little sister overjoyed by his simple presence. Her little fingers pushed at his mouth, trying to stop the noise coming from it.

        “Maxxxxie!” She squealed. Max finally shut his lips, with a comedic pop. The sudden cut off of laughing made Claire give a cute hiccup before she hummed and nuzzled up against her brothers jaw. For a moment, it was just a hug, and then she wasn't moving.

        “CC?” Max asks quietly, jostling her a bit. He only gets a tiny yawn to answer him. Then it grows louder.

        “You tired Claire-bear?” Quil says in response to the toddlers yawning. Max hummed in humor, his hand coming up to gently thumb the child's cheek, pulling her face back from his. She blearily blinked her doe brown eyes, seeming to try and force her eyelids open to continue looking at her brother.

        “Maxxie…” The girls begins, frowning. “You’re staying, right?”

        “Yep.” He pops the “p”.

        “...Really?” She asks sweetly. She’s still frowning though. Her lips pouty and stuck out almost past her large red cheeks. “You’ll be here when I wake up? Don’t leave before I wake up…”

        The man doesn’t seem to know how to respond. He just stares at his sister, mouth open, scrambling to find words. There was a clear answer, the truth that he’d be staying for a long while, on the account of Amy - which he wouldn’t divulge with the guys crowding or for Claire’s sanity sake-, and yet he couldn’t speak through the sharp stab of pain. Was she expecting him to just pick up and leave if she left her eyes closed for too long? Though he tried to tell himself she was just sleepily rambling on, he knew that was how she honestly saw it. Her older brother hadn’t been there for her birth; her first steps, or her first day of preschool. Anytime he did show up for something important, like hearing her recite her ABC’s for the first time fully through, or teach her how to sing ‘row-row-row your boat’, he’d be gone a day or two later. He could never stay for long since, back then, he still had college to go to. Still had to drive Amara to and from said school and make sure Percy didn’t over work himself at his multiple jobs. He couldn’t blame little Claire, who only had her brother a couple of times since she was two, for thinking like she did.

        “Of course,” He all but wheezed out. He sucked in a quick breath, clearing his throat before beginning again with a palm to his sister's plump cheek. “I’m going be here for as long as you want, CC. Going to be here until you get sick of me.” The girl held his stare for a long time before smiling goofily with closed eyes.

        “M’not gonna get sick of you Mazzie,” She mumbled, trailing off on his name to blur the ‘x’. “Even if it’s forever...” His heart pulled as she finally nodded off, going limp in his arms. She was just so...innocently childish. Refreshing from years being around the calculating and snarky Amara White. That’s what Claire always was: a breath of something fresh and new. An untouched kind of personality that had yet to be perverted by the shitty world Max lived in. Max had lived in a shitty world, and it always amazed him how Claire, and Sadie, had escaped such a life almost too easily.

        “I can go put Claire to bed,” The curly haired man whispered, already reaching out for the child. Max set eyes on the man, which caused his fingers to flinch back.

        “You’re...Quil?” He stood straighter at his name. He gave, what he thought to be, a confident smile, when in reality it was something timid and cautious.

        “And you’re Max. Claire’s older brother.” Max nodded, trying not to jostle himself too much for the sleeping girl's sake.

        “She talk about me?” Quil grinned.

        “All the time.” Max...Wasn’t sure if he liked that fact or not. “Did...Your mom say something about me?” The brother smothered a frown with a light hearted smile.

        “Naw. Em did.” Even Quil  looked a bit surprised by that. There was a silence then, with the curly haired man’s eyes flickering to his friends for some kind of help, but none of them moved- other than their own eyes which kept shifting between Maximus, Claire, and Quil. Entranced as if the three were a movie and they were waiting for some kind of explosion or fist throw.

        Neither happened.

        “Here you go,” Max breathed as he gently passed his sister off to Quil, who was waiting with her blanket open to bundle her back up in a pocket of warmth. Maximus gave one more tentative, gentle drag to his sister’s head of brunette hair before he nodded to Quil. The man nodded back. It held something more than just, “okay you can take my sister inside now” and in turn the agreement. Neither were quite sure what was shared, just then. Maximus was sure if Amara was outside just then, and he had asked her, she’d create words to explain the events clearly and vividly. But Amy was not outside, and the men still weren’t sure what happened, and one of them was already turning to leave.

        “L-Lemme come with!” Max jumped, surprised at the sudden voice. He’d completely forgotten about the two boys who’d run out just ahead of Quil minutes earlier. It wasn’t both of them that had spoke up, but when Max looked to the voice he found them standing oddly close to each other.

        “Um. Sure?” Quil said. He sounded confused. The boy, the one with wild hair, nodded quickly. He cast a sideways glance up to Max before hurrying off ahead, right into the house before Quil could take a step.

        “Brady, what’s up with Collin?” Jacob asked, his eyes not even falling onto the guy next to him, still focused, with narrowed eyes, at where “Collin” had disappeared.

        “Dunno. Was weird when Quil picked us up. Didn’t think he could get worse.” He scoffed. Snidely, too, like some kind of snooty aristocrat that was looking down on someone. A look of confusion crossed Jacob’s face before his eyes fell onto Brady.

        “What’s up with you.”

        “Nothin.” And that was the end of that. Jacob didn’t look keen on digging up the kids problems in front of Max, the guest, and Maximus seemed too out of it to try and bother remember the drama going on. He’d apologize to Amy later. She loved spilt tea more than rich suburban moms. He was busy wondering what he’d done to make Collin so upset. Maybe he was like Leah and just didn’t like people. Or...Something like that. Max wasn’t the one to decode people, no matter how much of Amy had rubbed off on him.

        “Hey, Emily said something about a girl coming with you, right?” As soon as the sentence is out of Jared, Jacob bats him across the back of his head and laughter rings out from the rest of the guys. “What! Honest question!” The defence only gets more laughter. Max gives a chuckle, but his pitters out first and he glance away from the group.

        “Ignore him,” Jacob says, rolling his eyes before crossing his arms. “Sometimes he forgets he has a girlfriend-”

        “I’d never forget that!” He bites back, but he can’t stop from giving a small, embarrassed, laugh. “That’s hard to do.”

        Eyes, once again, zero on Max, who gives a small sigh and pockets his hands.

        “Nah that’s fine,” He draws out. For a small second he purses his lips and then he grins and waves to somewhere over his shoulder. “I brought my friend Amara over. She’s gonna be living with me while I’m down here.”

        “Oooo-” Brady begins before he’s hit, like Jared, over the head by a straight faced Jake. Max snorts, finding the idea funny, but common. Anytime he ever mentioned he was living with Amara, or when they were younger and he’d sleepover at her house, he was always given crazy eyes. Most people expected that if a girl and a guy were close, they had to be together. As if opposite sexes couldn’t truly be friends without romantic relationships budding. When it was brought up to Amy, she’d go off on one of her long winded rants. Most of the time he’d bring it up just to hear what new way she’d call out those kinds of thinkers

        “I’ve known her since we were kids,” Max allows. “She went home to drop off some food we bought and forgot about, but she’ll be here for dinner.”

        “Her names Amara?” Brady asked, eyes big. “I’ve never heard that name before.”

        “Didn’t either till I met her.” He gives a goofy grin. “When she gets here just...uh, know she’s probably not going to talk much.”

        “Shy, huh?” Jared said with sultry tone, smirking. He whipped his head towards Jacob, waiting for his hand, but instead he got hit by Paul, from his other side. By the sound it had been much harder than Jake’s.

        “That’s fine. We’re not going to bite her, Max.” Jacob replied jokingly after giving Jared a warning look that went unnoticed as he rubbed his head, glaring at the smirking Paul. Maximus grinned thinking that, if anyone was going to bite, it would’ve most likely be his ginger.

        “Nothing like that. Just want you guys to know she doesn’t talk much when you first meet her. Don’t want Jared’s feelings to get hurt when he’s completely ignored.” He sent a humorous look to the man who gave a pout as the others laughed. As they fell into a conversation about Jared’s flirty tendency, even though he had a loving girl who, as the others said, he also loved very much, Max found his hand going to his phone. He pressed the home button just to check the time and to try and calculate in his head if Amy would be back or not. He quickly gave up when he remembered he’d sped most of the way and had been to busy with voicing his angsty thoughts to concentrate on the road. At a time like this, he’d ask Amy, but the small genius was throwing food in a fridge instead of at is side. Maybe he should go inside and check…

        “Hey you wanna play a game with us?”

        “What?” Max’s head jerks up to find the group of men, once again, staring at him. It felt odd having people standing around his height - with one who was even taller. He’d been so used to looking down at others that it was a bit intimidating meeting their eyes head on.

        “We’re down a man.” Without a pause Jake hands him the football and ushers the others to move back to their places. “Me and Paul are on your team,” He pointed to the guy on the other side of him. Then, with a glint in his eye and a flash of teeth he said, “Attack all others.”

        For a split second, Max did absolutely nothing. Then, he was jogging to the house to empty his pockets on a step before throwing the ball to Paul and starting the war all over again. Maybe the guys had been intimidating, but like hell he’d back down.


	3. Never Liked Being a Guest Pt. 2

        Amara parks Blueberry in the driveway, right where Maximus had the first time. The difference, though, is that there is a second car off in the grass. Slipping out of the truck, Amy slowly makes her way up to the hidden little home. The car was still hot, she could tell by how she could hear it cooling down in the crisp air. It made her more nervous to knock at the front door. Had more people arrived? Had dinner already started and she was now considered late? Would she walk in to have faces whip around to stare her down?

        Her hand froze just before it could land. Instead, she peered through the screen door, trying to search for any sign of hostile life. Or, in fact, any life at this point.

        The place looked crowded, by furniture, not people, and had a home kind of feeling Amy realized she had started to miss. It felt like the kind of home where just about anyone could walk in and find a spot on the couch and be welcomed. From how Max described it, she assumed it was just that, too.

        “Hello?” The female voice does well to startle Amy, even though she does not show it. Her eyes flicker away from what she could see of, what she guessed to be, the living room, and finds the person who had spoken. It’s a woman standing in the middle of the house, looking to have just left the kitchen with the apron around her waist and a single oven glove on her hand. She smiles sweetly at the red-head, waving to her.

        Amy gives a small wave back.

        “You’re Amara, aren’t you?” She asked, and the fellow woman nodded in reply.

        “Emily?” She smiles for her answer.

        “Would you like to come in? Or stand out in the cold? The sun's out, but it only does so much.” Emily waits, then, as if used to a silent personality like Amy’s. It felt as if the woman had already completely read Amara, as if she was an open book. It was an unsettling feeling, because usually it was the other way around. It wasn’t enough to stop Amy from stepping inside, though, and she sighs from the warmth that greets her like a blanket.

        Amara’s hazel eyes ghost around the home. They light up when they see small wooden figurines of different animals on one of the many shelves. She has half a mind to walk over and completely ignore Emily in hopes of cradling the tiny sculptures, but she’s sure she’d get an ear full from Max if he saw. And...She wanted to make a good impression on her friend’s beloved Aunt.

        “Your house is quite congenial.” Her lips try their best to quirk up into a faint smile, but they waver under the strangers sweet gaze.

        “Thanks. Most compliments I get are about my cooking.” At this, the scent of mouth watering food drifts into the room, under both noses of the girls.

        “I’d like to also compliment that, then,” Amy says, her eyes fluttering closed as she takes another sniff. Home cooked food had become an oddity ever since she graduated middle school. The smell of it was incredible compared to restaurants or microwaveable meals. Max and her were horrors in the kitchen. The only one who could cook was Percy, but that extent was grilled cheeses and eggs. It was a practical skill they probably should’ve learned, but then again, none of them had any role models growing up, at least not for too long, to ever teach them. Then it just became another thing that was never brought up in school but suddenly became important once they graduated and were welcomed into the “real” world.

        “Max went outside to meet the guys.” Amy hummed, nodding slowly. She didn’t seem ready to open her mouth, though. Her eyes were still taking their fill of the home, searching for answers that were unknown to Emily.

        Emily had heard many stories of Amara. Stories of the little fluff of orange who held onto her brother no matter where he went. How Amy had an odd tendency to find herself in the middle of storms of strange and always quietly get herself out of them before Max could find out and help. Max had also talked about how much he loved listening to Amy talk and how the girl could go on for hours. Yet, Emily wasn’t seeing this in the tight lipped woman before her.

        “Did you and Max move in okay yesterday?”

        “Yes.” Amy stated. For a moment, Emily thought the girl was going to leave it at that. She inwardly sighed in relief when the woman continued. “It’s beautifully built and is just large enough for the both of us to live together, but not get sick of each other.” Her hands then intertwined in front of her stomach and her hazel eyes bore into Emily’s. “Thank you for letting me come down and live with Max while he’s here.”

        “Of course,” She blurts, swiftly walking closer to Amy. She slips her oven glove off, tucking it under her arm so she can reach her hands up. They flutter up against Amy’s shoulders. Emily was only about 5’6, and the ginger felt like she was towering over the woman. “You’re as welcomed here as Max is.” Her words were soft, gentle. It made Amara’s stomach roll as her brows furrowed.

        Maximus...Had said something more than just explaining she needed a place to stay, hadn’t he? She adored him, but sometimes he’d end up saying too much to people he trusted. How much had he mentioned? Had he twisted the truth any?

        There was something shining in Emily’s eyes as she smiled. When Amy had first seen a picture of Max’s aunt, she asked all questions except for the one that was, most likely, on everyone’s mind when they first saw the woman. Amara craved information on any and all things, but she had enough common sense to not ask anything that was overstepping a silent line. Perhaps it was for that logic that she started to find her own answers without verbally asking them. Just watching Emily and viewing the left side of her face was enough to tell Amy what the scars were. However...It didn’t tell her what emotion was shining in the woman’s eyes. Maybe it was pity, or something more genuine. Amy was only used to one of those emotions, the other too foreign for her to clearly make out.

        “Are you okay, Amara?” Amy blinked, snapping herself out from her thoughts. Emily had retracted her hands, most likely thinking her touch was what bothered the woman. However, the redhead gave a small smile.

        “I’m fine. Do you need help with dinner?” Emily's eyes flicker over Amy before she shrugs and gestures to one of the chairs of the small white, round table. It mirrored a breakfast table that used to be in Amara’s house. The only difference being the color.

        “Oh no, I’m fine. Max helped with the prepping already. Why don’t you sit down? I can get you something to drink, if you want?” Amy gave a tiny nod, pulling out a chair for herself. She sets a small bag down in front of her. It was a muted red color, something that Emily hadn’t noticed she was carrying until she branded it. The bag was more of a pouch then something sturdy. It slumped onto the table with a couple of clicks from whatever was inside.

        “Thank you. If...You don’t mind, just water.” Emily rose a brow and gave a tiny chuckle before heading back into the kitchen. From her seat, Amy could clearly see the woman as she moved about. She put something in the oven before turning to the fridge.

        “Are you sure? I have other stuff. Orange juice, milk, sweet tea….” She trailed off, glancing to the hazel eyes following her.

        “...Milk, please.” Came her quiet reply. Emily grinned, grabbing the carton and then a small mug from a cabinet.

        “So, Amara, if you don’t mind me asking,” She began slowly, coming back to take a chair across from Amy, sliding the cup over. “How has...Maxxie been doing?”

        “Oh.” Amy blinked slowly, her path of vision drifting down from the chocolate eyes to find something else to watch. She found herself looking to Emily’s wedding ring. “Max is…” She made a quiet noise, her hands curling into her bag. A tiny smile suddenly lifted her lips. “Great. He hasn’t stopped smiling since you invited him down here to meet Sam and the family.”

        “Good.” Aunt Emily said. Then, breathing deeply she said it again, more sincerely. She had been worrying for her nephew. Amara could tell by how she visibly relaxed, her fingers stopping from unconsciously rolling her wedding ring. Now she just needed to know why.

        “Were you worried?” Amy looks into her mug and tentatively sips it, as if the cold drink could’ve burned her.

        “I always am. I’m his aunt after all.” Then, with a quick glance to the door in the living room, she sent narrowed eyes to the ginger. Weariness laced her look and she suddenly seemed tired. “That kid’s been through… too much.” Amara silently nodded. “You’ve been through too much. Hell, everyone in this house has been through too much.” She chuckled, shaking her head. “It wasn’t until I met Sam did I start realizing that everyone is so...different. Everyone has a story. Maximus’s story is, well, something I kind of hoped I could save him from. He’s...talked to you about it, right? You seem like someone he’d tell everything.” When she smiled, Amy gave a small nod, the mug between her palms being squeezed tighter.

        “Is that why you invited him down here? He...” She paused. Max had been right. Emily cared for him more than a simple aunt would. Something between a sister and mother, she was sure. Just the sight of her nephew after a handful of months had her talking to Amara about him as if they’d known each other since forever. He was an emotional trigger for her. “He needs this. Needs you. Needs the idea of a family that isn’t entirely blood related.” Amara then pulled her mug up close to her face, tilting her head to the side instead towards her cup. “I believe you and Sam can give him that.” Her speckled cheeks puff up as she gives a tiny smile, fluttering her eyelashes teasingly. “So, off the topic of little Maxxie, how have you and Sam been?”

        “Didn’t take you for a gossiper, Amara.” The ginger rose her nearly invisible brow into her curly bangs.

        “Were you not here for our conversation on Max just now?” Emily grinned, which then boiled over into an almost too happy smile.

        “I’m… I’m...There really isn’t any words that come to mind that can describe how happy I am being with Sam. He’s just...My everything.” She tried to wipe the goofy smile from her lips, but Amy refused to have the sight leave her vision.

        “Fantastically moved? Unimaginably happy? Flabbergastedly ecstatic? Drowning in the palpable love?” Emily’s eyes flashed, her coppery hand sliding up to try and smother her look.

        “You know, you should be a writer, Amara.” The ginger shrugged.

        “Max says that a lot.”

        “Well, he’s right, because you described it all pretty spot on. But...just multiply all that by infinity and I think that just might cover a third of what I’m feeling.” As Emily spoke, Amy found her eyes flickered to her side as she heard the door to the outside quietly creek as it was opened.

        “That happy?” The man revealed himself, then, making Emily jump and flick her head over. “I must be doing something right then.” His eyes flickered to Amara. “I did promise her I would when I proposed.”

        “Speak of the devil and he will appear.” Emily joked slyly, but love shimmered in her eyes as Sam crossed the room to lean down and tenderly kiss his wife on the top of her head. When he leaned back, he looked to Amara.

        “Sorry about not being in here when you arrived,” He gestured to a chair between the two woman, silently asking if he may sit. Amy hesitated before nodding. “I was out back making sure none of those idiots broke anything else.” He rolled his eyes, getting a snort from Emily.

        “No need,” Amy replied gently. “I wouldn’t have wanted a team of family to be waiting at the door for my arrival. I fear that would’ve given me a heart attack.” Amy squeezed her cup again as Sam chuckled.

        “Plus,” Emily slowly said, her eyes already shifting to Sam. “He probably would’ve scared you off.”

        “What?” Sam went wide eyed as Emily broke into loud laughter. “I wouldn’t have.” He puffed his chest out a bit. “Why do you say that every time we have a guest over…” Emily just continued laughing at her steadily reddening husband. He gave a half hearted glare before turning quizzical eyes on Amy, who’d been watching with her ever blank look.

        “So…” Sam began, tuning out his wife’s tittering. She patted his arm, trying to show her apology as if he was an ego bruised child. “Do you like the house?”

        “I do,” Amy said, eyes falling from Sam’s. “Even though we’ve only spent less than a day inside of it. It’s very well built and accommodates our needs nicely.” The answer makes Sam pause. He lifts a thick brow, momentarily glancing to Emily before he nods. This was more of a common response to the way Amy spoke. She had been surprised by how well Aunt Emily glossed over Amara’s speech. It was welcoming, but odd. She almost preferred Sam’s honest slight discomfort.

        “I’m glad. The only thing my old man did correctly.” The freckle spattered girl stiffened at Sam’s slip of tone when he voiced “old man”. Her curiosity won over her mind and she found herself opening her mouth instead of comparing his tone to her own when she spoke of her mother.

        “Is that...Your family home?” Sam gave a single jerk of his head for confirmation.

        “Dad built it for my mom when he married her.” He opened his mouth to continue, but then shut it and the stream of information was cut off. When Emily set her hand gently on her husbands arm, to send some silent comfort, Amy recognized the family scarring. Percy would get the same way when anyone would bring up their parents. He’d go silent, refusing to talk anymore on the subject.

        “We didn’t know,” Amy informed. “But thank you for letting us live there.” Sam shrugged, giving a smile.

        “Good. Glad it has some use. It’s just been sitting around, empty.”

        A timer goes off, then, pushing Emily up from her seat and over into the kitchen. Amy stares into her white mug, feeling Sam’s eyes on her.

        “So you and Max?” He asks, a twang to his voice as if he was asking Emily if she was seeing someone - before they were together. There was something innocent, yet knowing, about it.

        “Childhood friends,” Amy addresses, big hazel eyes flicking up. “He started Third grade the same time I started First. He’s been stuck with us every since.” It was too late for Amy to correct herself by the time she got the miniature explanation out. “Us” had referred to her and her brother. Hopefully, Sam hadn't picked up on the pronoun, and wouldn't mention it.

        “Thankfully he was with someone,” He shot a quick glance over his shoulder and then lowered his voice. “Emily always talked about him as if he was a lost pup.” He shook his head ruthfully.

        “She’s right, though,” Amy gave a tiny smirk. “Max was born a dog.” Sam stiffened. “Acted like he never had any owners and ran around doing whatever he wanted. He’s mangy, too.” The man didn’t laugh but he shared the woman’s amused grin. Emily peeked at the two, surprised to hear the humor lacing the ginger’s voice. She stepped back out, gesturing behind her as she moved for her seat.

        “Just need to let the stew simmer and the chicken to cook and then-”

        The side door suddenly opens, causing Emily to jump, yet only stole Sam’s and Amara’s eyes.  

        Two people walked in, a third on the taller one’s hip. The first one inside looks only to be nineteen. He had wild locks of, what Amy first saw as, black hair that was pushed back as if the wind helped him style it. When he walked further into the light of the room that held the three adults, Amara saw his hair shine a deep auburn kind of color, making his russet skin even darker in comparison. His light chocolate eyes found Sam, Emily, and then latched onto Amy in mild surprise.

        “Hey,” The tallest one said, nodding his head to the group at the table.

        “You coming in to put Claire to bed?” Emily asked sweetly, looking to the sleeping child.

        “Yeah. Got tuckered out after seeing her brother.” His eyes swept the room to find Amy. “You’re Amara, right?” The ginger gave a small, slow nod. “It’s nice to meet you,” He cooed sweetly, like a father does to his daughter. In fact, it was close to the same kind of voice Emily had first used towards Amy once she realized the girl needed goading to start really speaking. As if they were both weary to raise their voice or to talk too much just in case it upset her.

        “Thank you. It's… Nice to meet so many people. Though, I really don't know any ones name.” The man grinned ear to ear, looking almost excited by Amy’s voice. She was beginning to wonder if Max had just went ahead and told just about everyone something absurd enough to get them tiptoe around her solid voice and lack of facial movement. So far, the only one not being weirdly accepting was Sam, and she had decided that, yes, it was more comfortable.

        “Im Quil. One ‘L’.” He then nodded down. “I'm guessing you already know, since you're with Max, but this is Claire. I'm kind of… Like her official babysitter.” He looked extremely proud of that fact. As if he was announcing, modestly, that he won a gold medal in the Olympics to an awaiting, breathless, crowd. Except he wasn't in the Olympics, to the extent of Amy's knowledge, and she was hardly waiting in anticipated breath for his reply. “And he’s-” Quil  began, but was quickly cut off by the man he was trying to introduce.

        “Collin.” The nineteen year old, as Amy continued to judge, took a loud step towards her with his barefoot. “With two ‘L’s.”

        Immediately, from the way he rolled his shoulder back, stood taller, and puffed his chest out, Amy knew she had done something to receive his intimidation tactic. She… Wasn't positive of what she had actually done, but it was definitely something that made this man believe he had to win something from her. She'd seen the look in many people in her life. From a teacher that wanted to one-up her, believing the way she spoke was belittling him, to girls who'd thought Amara was dating Max. She'd even seen it in her brother once. But that time it wasn't used to win something, but to scare someone to protect another.

        “And I’m Amara. Three ‘A’s.”

        Quil looked wearily between Collin and Amy, noticing the off behavior of his friend.

        “I’ll go put Claire to bed.” Quil states, sending Sam a look before he turned to head up the wooden stairs. Collin backed down, at that point, snapping out of whatever funk he’d fallen into for the brief minute. He even had the decency to look embarrassed by his own actions.

        “Sit, Collin,” Sam said slowly, black eyes watching the nineteen year old like a hawk. Amy blinked blankly at the boy, who stuttered a nod and plopped himself down with a weak heave of will. As soon as he was close to Amy, sitting right next to her, his bravado completely vanished. His head sunk low between his shoulders and he avoided Sam and Emily’s eyes. Amy had given up looking to the boy and instead favored the liquid of her mug.

        Emily glanced between the two. She could tell Amy’s silence wasn’t because of any awkward air, but simply because the girl seemed to never fill silence. Collin, on the other hand, had begun to fidget with his hands, the silence too much for him.

        “Amara,” Emily began, smiling sweetly. It took Amy’s hazel eyes away from her drink. “Would you like a refill?”

        “Oh.” She breathed, realizing the “liquid” she’d been staring at had just been the bottom of her white mug. “I’m fine I’ll-”

        “I’ll get it!” Collin stood up so fast his chair skidded backwards, and only didn’t topple over because, just as quickly, Amy shot back and stilled it. He went even more red watching as the women tilted the chair back into place and then met his eyes. He snatched her mug before her parted lips could say anything, hurrying into the kitchen.

        It was then when the noise from outside began to move in.

        Amara was relieved when the first one to come into view was Max, who had mostly done it on purpose to seek her out. He, though, didn’t notice her at first, since he had an arm slung around him by someone who was, surprisingly, taller than him. The two, along with most of the others, were laughing loudly, all yelling out half formed thoughts of excitement about whatever had just been going on outside. Amy noticed seconds later, when more of them were in view, that just about every one of the men were shirtless and in cut off denim shorts. Even Maximus had stripped his shirt, holding it in his free hand. It was then, when the tallest boy made eyes at Sam, did Max see Amy. With a big smile, he removed his arm and came bounding over to the shorter girl.

        “You should’ve come outside!” He says brightly, flipping his shirt over his right shoulder. “We were playing football. I think.” He laughed, then. With red cheeks and all teeth he reminded Amy briefly of an over excited child who was reminiscing about recess that day to his mother.

        “I can tell,” Amara said, looking over his dirt covered body and grass stained pants. She rose a faint brow and then let slip a smirk as she stood up. “Emily’s almost done with dinner. You should go wash up. Can you handle that?” He snorted, ruffling her lion’s mane.

        “Yeah yeah.” Yet, he didn’t move to go to the bathroom, and then instead glanced over to his aunt and, now, uncle, who were still sitting at the little white breakfast table.They had been approached by the tallest of the russet skinned men. “Do you like them?” His eyes fell away from Amara’s.

        “I do.” Amy, responding to Max’s vulnerable tone with a soft voice. “Emily’s very kind, like you said. She also puts up with me easily. Sam loves her very much. I can tell just by his eyes.” Max wrinkled his nose. “He’s also very...man.”

        “Very “man”, huh?” Max asked teasingly, laughing when he was sent narrowed eyes.

        “Very.” She repeated. Then, she poked his coppery chest with a finger, leaving a crescent moon indent on his pec. “Now go wash up, okay? And put your shirt on…” He grumbled something before a spark of childishness lit his almost black eyes and he opened his arms up.

        “One hug before I go?” She immediately slapped a hand to his chest, halting him from coming any closer.

        “Don’t you dare.” She hissed, but a tiny smile was threatening to bubble up, and of course Max spotted it.

        “Just one Ames,” He promised with a very unbelievable pitch to his voice. “Then I’ll go!”

        “You’re gross.” Amy snaps.

        “Are you picking on Amara, Max?” The man stops pushing against Amy’s hand when his Aunt’s voice breaks through the noise.

        “No!” He whines, giggling as he throws his arms out past the woman’s head. “I just want a hug!”

        “No!” Amy whines back, mocking him. Then, in the midst of Max’s laughing and toothy smirk as he messed with her, she forgot herself and let a large smile grace her lips. Taking a single step she shifted her entire weight. Max made a noise as he fell past her. Amy spun around, hand latching onto his wrist, pulling him up before he fell and threw him back towards the living room. He stumbled, his laughter erupting from the bottom of his gut.

        “Woah!” Collin burst, having come out of the kitchen just in time. The guys on either side of him are hiding their laughs between hands and turned heads.

        “No rough housing inside, Maximus.” Emily says, giving a look to her nephew. Amy blinks, her face steadily turning red. The smile that had once been there had disappeared in an instant, and once again she showed nothing to hint at any kind of emotion.

        “I’m sorry, Emily,” Amy began, eyes avoiding the woman’s.

        “Why’re you-?”

        “She’s the one that pushed Max,” Said the thickest man. He stood, though, as one of the shortest heights out of the men, coming up to 5’11, like Amy. He was smirking something sly as his dark eyes flickered between the ginger and Emily.

        “Oh, then never mind.” She replied sweetly.

        “Hey!” Max yelped, but he didn’t sound hurt in the slightest. Instead, with Amy facing his aunt, he jumped her, wrapping her in bear hug.

        “Max!” She yelled, struggling. “Get off!”

        “It’s just a hug,” Max said, right before Jacob grabbed a hold of him and pulled him off. He barked a laugh as he slung the copper skinned man into a headlock. The two of them began wrestling, leaving Amara to brush as much transferred dirt off of her sweater as she could.

        “What did I just say?” Emily asked, rolling her eyes. Though she was smiling, neither Max nor Jacob took the chance and dropped arms. “All of you, go clean up.” A series of “yes ma’ams” or “kay Emily”s rang out, the guys all jogging off back outside. Amy realized it was to use the hose instead of the bathroom.

        “You have them by the leash,” The ginger commented as she found her seat across from the woman once more. Emily laughed.

        “I have to or this house would be torn down.”

        When the guys finally came back inside, and had dried themselves off at Emily’s glare, it was cued for them all to grab a plate. Everyone filed through the kitchen to grab what food they could - Amara, Max, and Emily went first under the Aunt’s insistence. “They’d eat you out of house if you let them. You have to do it first”, She’d said, just before she swiped a pepper slice out from under Max’s fork, giving a smug look as he gave a playful glare.

        The food looked delicious. The pots and plates in the kitchen seemed to hold something for everyone. Most plates she had spotted out of the corners of her vision were full of meat, with the single exception of Maximus, but each had a surplus of something the others wouldn’t. For instance, the mash potatoes were hoarded mostly by Sam. The stew was in a giant bowl with the only unknown female to Amara. And, of course, the most green was on Max’s plate.

        The guests were led to a small table, the same one Amara had been at while Max was outside, with only about six chairs. Emily sat first, and when Max followed suit, Amara immediately took a spot in front of him. The spots on either side of her were filled by two unknown men, still having yet to be introduced to anyone other than Emily, Quil, Collin, and Sam. Max met her eyes, and for a split second the loud noise of the others - who’d taken spots in the living room just around the corner - disappeared. With a simple look he asked if she was okay. He could feel her unease from his spot, and bumped her foot with his own under the table in quiet reassurance- a promise that as soon as they were done eating he’d pull her from the uncomfortable situation. The woman only gave a subtle nod before moving her eyes down.

        Amara’s fingers found themselves tracing the many scratches on the off white table, following the cracks of the worn paint. She found it more interesting than following Max’s conversation with Sam or trying to make awkward small talk with the large men scattered around. While some were sat on either side of her, a handful of them were also in the living room. She had been right when she assumed that this “dinner table”, what Maximus had assumed it was, was really a breakfast table and wasn’t meant to hold more than the actually family plus one or two. Though Emily fed so many people a couple times a week, Amy had thought that maybe there was a second table, but that hadn’t seemed the case.

        “So, uh… Hi?” The nervous voice, a rarity she surmised with how boisterous the others sounded together, caught Amara’s ears and her eyes flitted up from their comfortable spot to the right of her plate. The man next to her was definitely the one to speak, but she wasn’t sure if it was towards her until she met his look and suddenly was very aware of how close he had scooted towards her.

        A small smile twirled his lips, but as soon as her hazel eyes met his brown ones his smile faltered and his look shifted to be anywhere but her. For a pregnant pause neither opened their mouths. The boy, deducing since she refused to talk to any of them for the majority of her time at the house wouldn’t be the one to speak first, he went to make the first move. Again.

        “Are nights always this loud?” The man almost chokes on his breath at the girl's sudden voice. It wasn’t soft or high pitched, like he had imagined. In reality, when Max told him and the rest that she was shy and quiet, he expected her to be nervous and soft spoken. However, her voice was rich, and somehow dripped like honey when she pulled her words apart. It was deeper than Emily’s and Leah’s, but still obviously female. Her brows knit at his gaping mouth, which he quickly shut.

        “Yeah,” He tried to smooth out. He was hoping she’d be just as nervous as he was when he’d meet people for the first time. Though, now looking closer, she held herself in the same way Jake did when he’d brag about how fast he could run. “Actually, they were worse this morning.”

        “How?” Amara asked, blowing air through her nose when she watched Sam and Jared start bickering over which one of them would get to carve the third chicken, and all the others were yelling which side they were taking. Somehow Emily was sitting calmly in the middle of it, trying to make conversation with Max on her left. Amy had picked up on the fact that Emily had sat at the farthest right edge of the table so no one could sit directly on her own right.

        “Paul broke our dinner table.” The news brought a spark to the woman’s hazel eyes, lighting them a forest-like green.

        “I knew Emily would have had a larger table for so many people,” She mumbled to herself, a nail picking at chipping paint. “Who’s Paul? Or, well, a more important question, Who’re you?” The man blinked slowly before giving a soft chuckle. He relaxed back into his chair, turning a bit more towards the carrot headed woman, blocking out the loud noise around him.

        “I’m Embry,” Then, in a softer voice, “Paul’s the guy on your other side.” Amara nodded slowly, taking a quick look to the leaned back man to her left. She’d noticed the way he barked out most of his words, as if he was a car continuously revving it’s engine. He also seemed to have a permanent smirk that felt more territorial than the kind of teasing ones Maximus usually wore. The way he held himself also set a string of warning bells off in the ginger’s head. She’d seen the same posture in the kind of guys who’d skulk around bars to pick up tipsy girls for one night stands. They’d always lean in too close, ignoring personal space in favor of getting their hands across waists, their words coated in the scent of smoke and cheap beer. Amy briefly wondered if the guy smelled the same, or acted the same, as her profiling, but quickly centered her attention back onto Embry.

        “How’d he break it?” The man chuckled at the question, going a bit red.

        “Well, it honestly wasn’t just him. The guys were all hyped up after Sam told ‘em Emily’s nephew was coming down. Then when they heard Emily talking on the phone with him and mention a girl coming down the guys got extra...well, extra.”

        “Have they never seen a girl before?” Amy asked dully, lips in a frown. Though Embry realized that it was just her resting face since it hadn’t once changed since they began speaking. That or she really just didn’t care for talking. Embry could believe both.

        “Honestly, with how they act, I’m not even sure.” He then shrugged. “Anyway, one of them elbowed Paul in the jaw and he then threw the guy onto the table and the thing just broke in two.” He rattled the story off as if it was a normal event. Like a routine akin to Amy getting coffee in the morning. It was truly absurd. So absurd, in fact, it cracked Amara’s mask.

        "What?” She breathed through a flutter of quiet, confused laughter. Embry, once again, froze up, unsure what to do. Her laugh was so much different compared to her voice. It was sweet, lighter, almost vulnerable sounding. As soon as it had started, though, it immediately ended. It seemed the only people to hear the outburst, other than Embry, was Max and Paul. Maximus gave a quick look to the girl, wondering if she had really let the rare sound out or not. Paul, on the other hand, stiffened at the noise and sent unseen eyes down to the female at his side.

        “..Yeah…” Embry finally mustered. “He threw Quil,” He pointed to the man with pounds of curly hair on top of his head back into the living room. The same one who had come in from the back with little Claire in his arms. Though most of the living room was unviewable because of the wall, Amy could catch a glimpse the the man Embry was pointing at, along with the one he was talking to. The tallest male out of everyone in the house. Had to be at least 6’6, at most 6’8. Though, by his loud laughter and toothy smile she could see no threat in him.

        “Is he alright?” She questioned.

        “He’s fine. I’m pretty sure he’s used to it.”

        “Used to being thrown into tables?” Embry laughs, shaking his head.

        “Something like that, I guess.” He then shifted, leaning even closer, oblivious.

        Usually, this was the moment where Amara would take the cue to shift her way out of the situation. Never liked people getting too physically close to her. Barely touched even the people she was close to. Amy wasn’t sure where it stemmed from, but when she was younger she strayed from the touches of even her parents. So when Embry leaned closer, Amy slowly leans away, her shoulder blades pushing into the man to her left.

        “Paul has a temper that ends with people flying.” Embry smiles, his eyes flickering up over Amara’s shoulders. “Got a bad attitude too.”

        “Shut it Embry. At least I’m not praying on the little guest.” Rumbles the deep voice of Paul behind Amy. She moves in her seat, a wave of discomfort passing over her at the sudden feeling of being cornered. She had Embry, too close as he egged on Paul, on one side, and Paul, said to throw people when he was angry, on her other.

        “Praying?” Embry all but shouts, starting to turn red at the tips of his ears. “I-I’m not! I’m just talking to her!” Paul sent a sly look from the corner of his eyes before smirking.

        “Only time I’m ever been that close to a girl “just talking”, I was trying to get in her pants.”

        “Paul!” Sam snaps, but is drowned out by the living room erupting in fits of laughter. Either from what Paul had said, which had gotten Embry a bright red, or something else entirely.

        “I’m done.” Max says, abruptly standing. He flashes a smile, but his eyes only focus on Amara. “You too?” The ginger stares silently at him. Though she had a straight lipped, unemotional expression, showing no sign of the situation bothering her, she stood at the opportunity of escape. Silently, she walked after Max back into the kitchen.

        “Paul,” Emily began once the two were at the sink. Amy looked back, finding the broad man sighing and frowning as Emily began berating him. Amara caught small hints of a motherly tone, but she could hear little to no words.

        “Didn’t think that would happen.” Max laughs, running his plate under the faucet. The running water drowns out the last of Emily’s crisp voice, which had been joined by Sam’s right before they were muted. “Did you get enough time?”

        “No,” Amy replies when he waves for her to hand over her dish. “Maybe. I could’ve handled Embry. But when the man thrower became involved-”

        “Man thrower?”

        “Paul,” She informs. “Broke the dining table by smashing Quil into it.” Max breathed at the news, and then a rare frown held his lips.

        “Good.”

        “Maximus.”

        “What? He’s taking care of Claire. Which, by the way, is weird. How come he’s supposed to be Claire’s nanny or whatever, but not also Sadies? What, is he obsessed with my sister, huh?” His words trailed off as he scrubbed violently at one of the plates. Then, his frown lifted and he sent big eyes over to Amy, who’s unblinking expressions had found more chipping paint to study. “Got some info for you, by the way.” Her eyes found his.

        “Really?” Her voice betrayed her lax look, trilling to prove how excited she was. Max also picked out a hint of relief.

        “Yep.” He popped a the “p”. He glanced behind him, finding Paul had left the table, no longer in the room, and Sam was staring at him with a tired look. As soon as their eyes met the man turned back to Emily.

        “Max?”

        “Right.” He set their plates to the side and leaned against the counter. “You saw the tallest guy, right?” Amy nods. “He’s Jacob Black. He was one of the kids I used to play with back during those bonfires I told you about. I...Don’t really remember him? But he remembers me.” He then nudges the girl, turning her fully around. The guys from the living room had moved up to the table she and him had just left. They were all talking now, laughing loudly. “That’s Seth and Leah Clearwater.”

        The woman, the only other girl in the house other than Emily and Amara, was something fascinating to Amy. She was apart of the group yes, but held a kind of distance from them. It seemed, at first, as if she was physically trying to distance herself, but when Seth nudged her into the circle Amy realized it was simply the women unknowing how to interact. She was acting awkwardly, as if not used to being in such a social environment. Leah held a somewhat blank look, her eyes watching the loud men around her. There was no malicious inetent, but simply curiosity. She edged closer to them, letting herself soak in their inside jokes and loud banter. When she noticed Amy’s owl wide eyes she gave a twisted, angry look.

        “Didn’t get to talk to either much, but the guys said that Leah just came back from a long trip to the mountains. They said she always hates new people so...Lucky us.” Maximus gave a clumsy chuckle, poking Amy to get her eyes away from the furious women. “Then there’s Jared,” He points to the man between Paul and Sam. “He flirts a lot but is in a super stable relationship apparently. You met Sam. And Paul?”

        “I know he throws people into tables. I suspect he has a palpable anger to him?” Max shrugs.

        “He can throw a mean football. Hit Embry in the gut more than a couple of times on purpose. I was warned, by Jacob, to not mess with him.”

        “Anger issues.” Amy repeats her suspicions.

        “Anger issues.” He relented to the watchful women. “Also a player. But who isn’t at that age-” Amara sends him a look. “He’s four years younger than me! I can say that!”

        “So he’s twenty? He looks…..Older.”

        “Don’t tell him that.”

        “I wasn't bad mouthing,” She puts a sharp elbow into the man's side. He would’ve flinched he wasn’t used to it or hadn’t seen it coming. “Stating a fact. They all look much older. Do you know how old they are?”

        “Can’t you-”

        “Usually I can but I just said-”

        “Right, right.” He cuts her off. Receiving another elbow. Amara loved to interrupt, majority of the time because she knew exactly what they were about to say, but hated when others did it to her.

        “Like I said, Paul is twenty. Jacob should be about that age too. When talking to Jared he made a joke about how he, Embry, and Quil had just hit their “second decade”, so. They’re all the same age.” Amara nods slowly. “Leah and Sam are in my boat. Oh! I forgot. That’s Brady. He’s, I think, best friends with Collin. Same age too. They’re the youngest. Something like...seventeen?”

        “Seventeen?” Amy’s invisible brows furrow as a heavy frown pulls her lips. “I swore Collin had to be nineteen. Where else could he get such guts-”

        “Did something happen?” Max straightened then, eyes already finding the wild haired boy grappling with Seth. For a brief second. Amy sees her brother Percy instead of Max.

        “I don’t think he likes me very much…” At her tone Max looks down to her.

        “What do you mean?”

        “I...Don’t know.” She restates. “I just don’t think he likes me. Not as much as Leah, but I wouldn’t doubt if he’d start snarling too.” His lips pursed. He tried to decode the gingers usual blank look. Instead of searching for hidden emotions they, for once, were quite evident on her face. There was no mask to take away. Amara showed how uncomfortable the realization made her. How could she not? Max had taken her to his new family’s home, talking it up as if they’d all love them both as soon as they stepped in the doors. It must have felt horrible to find someone who was just generally upset with her appearance in their house. Leah was one thing, as Max had been reassured she was like that with anyone new. But Collin? Someone who had no reason other than meeting the ginger and just not liking her? Amara might be as hard as a rock when it came to emotional matters, but it couldn’t stop her from logically being upset by something that she couldn’t truly control.

        “He was fighting with Brady today. He’s probably just in a really bad mood.” Max tries to save, smiling with all of his teeth showing. The girl gave him a look, but finally answered with a small smile that relaxed both of them.

        Max checks his wrist, then. With a glance to his...family, he takes Amara by the hand and pulls her back out to everyone.

        “It’s getting pretty late,” Max announces, cutting through the voices of the family. “Amara and I should be getting back.” Anyone still sitting immediately stands up.

        “It was nice seeing you!” Jacob says, coming over to give a hearty handshake to Max. “And we didn’t get to talk but, nice meeting you.” He lowers his hand down to Amara, who doesn’t hesitate to grab it up and give a strong shake back.

        “Oh yeah, we didn’t even introduce ourselves or anything.” Jared scratches the back of his head, glancing around to the other guys who’d been outside when the women had arrived.

        “It’s not like you’ll never see her again,” Max said, laughing.

        “Then we’ll just have to ignore you next and spend the whole day with Amara.” Jared says this with a wink which gets him multiple hits from multiple people.

        The men call out different forms of goodbyes, most shaking hands or bumping fists with Max, while they gave reserved head nods or gentle handshakes to Amy. Emily and Sam walked the duo to the door.

        For a quiet moment, the four stood outside on the porch, the coldness nipping at any skin that was revealed. Amy sunk more into her sweater, shivering. Max reaches an arm around her to pull her into the warmth of his side just as Sam reaches out his hand to them both.

        “Thank you both so much for coming over today,” Emily says happily, deciding to pull Amy out of Max’s hold, and away from Sam’s hand, and into her arms. For a second, the ginger stiffens, like a cat not used to being picked up, but almost immediately melts in the aunt's hold. “You’re welcome anytime you two.” The women part and Amy pushes herself back into Max’s warmth; Emily goes to Sam’s.

        As the duo moves to leave, Max stops them once more.

        “Wait, Em, can I ask you something?” Her brows furrow for a second, but she gestures for Sam to head in ahead of her. Sam nods, kissing her temple, nodding his head towards the other two, and then shuts the screen door behind him as he rejoins the other men.

        “Something up?” Max shakes his head, smiling.

        “Nothing wrong just...Well, I was wondering if we should be worried about any... bears or wolves running around and getting into the house.”

        Emily bursts with laughter.

        “Bears? No, predators like that are farther up the mountain, I should know.” She grimaces through her giggling, obviously referring to the three deep scars that stretched across the right side of her face, forever mutilating it. “Only deer come around here.” Emily said this with a knit of her brows, glancing between the duo. Max nodded, smiling in relief. Amy, however, looked a bit upset. Deer couldn’t growl, she thought. What she had heard wasn’t some nice little herbivore.

        “See you tomorrow?” Maximus asks, grinning.

        “Tomorrow!” Emily says with just as much excitement. Her eyes flickered over to Amy and her look softened. “Are you going to come too?”

        “Most likely.” She said quietly, her eyes falling away to hit the wood under her feet. Emily nodded, giving a small look to Max before she began waving the two away.

        “Go home, it’s getting dark. Don’t want to get jumped by any deer,” She teased, laughing loudly when Max childishly stuck his tongue out in reply. Smoothly, he set a hand on the mid of Amy’s back and spinned her around to push the obviously tired woman back to his truck.


	4. Another Day, Another Breakdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking I'll begin to post weekly. Every Saturday?

        “I think Canis misses home.”

        Maximus looks up from his book, eyes immediately finding Amara sitting on the floor, small white and black dog sitting between her legs. The man purses his lips, slowly shutting the worn novel, something he was given back in middle school and, for some reason, still had.

        “Probably. She was born and raised there.” Max then swings his legs off of the couch, bare feet flinching at the contact of cold floor. “You miss home, don’t you?” Amara nods, bumping her forehead against the dogs.

        “Yes. But...Not really?” Max sets himself down on the floor next to the woman. “I miss the heat. I don’t like having to wear multiple layers just to get out of bed.” She shrugs, then, looking to her friend. “All I had in Nevada was Percy and you. Percy’s...gone. And you’re with me. So, my “home” is right here, isn’t it?”

        “Straightforwardly adorable.” Max coos, slinging an arm around the girl, much to her annoyance. She didn’t push it away, though, and instead leaned her head against him.

        “Are we going out today?” She asks, pulling gently at her dog’s ear.

        “You said you wanted to go shopping or something?” The woman blinked slowly.

        “Well, yes, but I was asking if we were going out to Emily’s today.”

        “Oh. Right. Well, yeah. Just to chill really. We don’t even have to stay for dinner if you don’t want.” His black eyes ghost down to the female against him and he actually watches information being remembered, pros and cons being weighed in the midst of her hazel eyes. Finally, she turns them up to him.

        “I didn’t say I didn’t want to stay for dinner.”

        “Then you do?”

        “Only if Emily asks us too. I don’t want to impose just because she’s like a sister to you. She already has to feed all those other men 24/7.” The retaliation peeks Max’s interest and he sits up, Amy slipping from his hold. He scoots himself around on the floor so he’s situated in front of Amara, Canis now shifting so she can lay herself out across them both.

        “Did Paul and Embry piss you off?”

        “What?”

        “Embry and Paul.” Maximus waves his hands around. “The two that sat with you at dinner.” Immediately Amy nods, head sinking into the turtleneck of her sweater. “You plan on avoiding them?”

        “Maybe.” She says quietly. “Embry wasn’t actually trying to make any moves, like Paul inferred and,” Her eyes swipe up to meet his. “Like how you thought.” The man goes a bit red. “You’re asking because you’re pissed, aren’t you?”

        “You already know the answer,” Max grumbles.

        “I do.” Amy states. “Embry was genuine. He honestly was trying to just talk to me. What did you tell them all, by the way?”

        “Tell them- Oh. That you probably wouldn’t talk much when they first met you.” Amara hummed, nodding to herself.

        “Well. For some reason it gave them the idea I was shy or something.”

        Max snorts loudly.

        “They were all being cautious. Like I was a skittish animal or something. I don’t think i’ll avoid any of them, just so they’ll stop trying to baby me.” Amara then abruptly stood, much to Canis’s annoyance as the pup hit the cold wood flooring.

        “Ames?”

        “Would you like to go to Emily’s now? Or should we stop by a store?” Max stood too, getting a small bark from Canis on his way up.

        “Oh, right, why do you want to go shopping anyway? Did we forget something yesterday?” Amy moves to the front door, slipping on boots over her thick socks.

        “No. I just… Well I need a sweatshirt at the very least. I also wanted to look to see if there was a place anywhere that sells doors...but driving through Forks yesterday gave me the inkling we’ll have to make one ourselves.”

        Max chuckled, shaking his head. Instead of answering the girl, he turns and shuffles into his bedroom at the end of the hallway. Minutes later he emerges with a thick bundle of fabric in his hands. He crosses the living room, Canis trying to weave herself between his legs, and passes the clump over.

        “What is-”

        “If you wanted a sweatshirt you could’ve just asked.” Amara unravels the mess to see a familiar jacket. It’s one she’d commonly see Maximus in. It was actually, she’s pretty sure, one of his favorites. It was a thick dark grey hoodie that held the logo of his Nevadan college across the front. On the back were a number of hand prints, all different sizes and colors from many of his friends that had left their marks after he graduated.

        Amara immediately slipped the article over her head. She had already played out the conversation of her telling him she didn’t want to take it from him. He’d tell her that he found it stupid she’d go and buy one when she could just use his. And if she said that she wanted one for her own size, she could already imagine him running off to get one of the ones he’d accidently shrunk in the washing machine. He kept those just for her or Percy if they ever needed a coat. So, instead of fighting him, she bundled herself in the extra warmth and turned towards the door once more.

        “Let’s head over to Emily’s.” Max grinned widely, scooping up his car keys as he hurried past the woman.

 

        The others had been making fun of him ever since last night's dinner. Hell, they’d been making fun of him for the majority of the time he knew them.

        At first, it was just because he’d broken Emily’s dining table. Smashed the thing to pieces. He didn’t mind that kind of teasing because that shit was normal. His anger caused him to do a lot of things that, now, he and the guys always laughed at. During that morning’s crazy cheering for a new Young coming down with a girl, they had been so wrapped up in mock celebration Quil had accidentally gotten an elbow to Paul’s jaw. He, of course, did the only thing he knew to do-

        Flipped the guy into the table.

        How was he supposed to know it’d break?

        That making fun of was normal and expected at this point in Paul’s life; practically living with all of them.

        But after he had to come clean about some things, things that had been noticed and brought up after last night's dinner, he was really starting to hate the “humor” the other guys had.

        His morning was ruined. It was a piss pot of bs. He was this close to crushing another one of Emily’s tables if Sam hadn’t stepped in to get the guy off of his back.

        “Give him a break,” Sam said, Alpha bite to his words. Jared was laughing as he obliged. Just that mocking show of relent was enough to get on Paul’s nerves. But he restrained himself. Or. Well. Sam restrained him.

        “Have some coffee,” Emily coo’d, handing a warm mug to him. He frowned, but took it. He had come early to the Uley house - much earlier than he wanted to. In fact, it was so early he was starting to make fun of himself, too.

        How was he this messed up? Was this the kind of shit Sam, Jacob, and Jared went through? Paul was pissed. If he was going to wind up acting like Jacob he might as well end himself now.

        He plopped down at the mini white table. He recalls Emily calling it a breakfast table. But he also remembers sitting at it for dinner last night.

        Last nights dinner.

        He groaned.

        He felt like he had a hang over - a familiar feeling for him - but without the memory of how the alcohol tasted or how it made him feel the prior night. Just the pain and throbbing in his temples.

        Casting a look around the house, bathed in morning light, he found multiple people that were just as out of place as he was.

        First of all, Jared, the asshole, was laid out in the living room with a cold bowl of soaked cereal in hand. He was rarely at the Uley place since he moved in with his girlfriend, Kim. In fact, the only reason he was there was to see if Paul was there.

        Second, Collin Littlesea was there too. Must’ve convinced Jared to pick him up and drive him over since the kid still couldn’t get his mitts on his father’s car. He was talking with Emily about something or other in the kitchen. His coppery skill was a bright red, almost darkening him to the color of his bedhead of auburn. The kid usually only showed up at the Uley’s for dinners and bonfires. Beside those times he was either busy with school or hanging with Brady. Why he was there, now, so damn early, was unknown to Paul.

        The house was silent except for Emily and Collin’s whispering. And Jared’s loud crunching.

        Finally Sam moved over to Paul, having been peering in the kitchen to watch his new wife and youngest pack member converse, taking in the other man's appearance with weary eyes.

        “Paul,” He tried to begin, but the said man stood with a strong shake of his head.

        “No. Sam. Not this early.”  Instead of stepping forward, Sam dropped whatever the subject was going to be, much to Paul’s relief. “It’s nothin’ big.” He said over his shoulder. “It’s only day three.” He shut the door behind him, welcoming the calming scent of the outdoors over the worry that Sam excreted; it had filled the entire house.

        The cold fluffed against his warm body. It did well to cool him off, just enough that his bare chest was no longer speckled in sweat.

        It was the rare, quiet moments like these, the ones he only found if he was completely by himself at home or early hours in front of the forest, that actually calmed him. It was rare for him to feel...calm.

        “Paul!”

        And there the moment goes.

        “What?” He breathed out gruffly, narrowed eyes slipping to the side door swung open next to him. Collin leaned out, wild eyes searching the older man for some answer so he didn’t have to ask, but nothing was found.

        He stepped outside, shutting the door behind him so he could awkwardly stand next to Paul.

        “Paul,” The boy started again, his bravado lost in his words.

        “What?” Paul repeated, adding an eye roll.

        “Paul are you here because of...of-”

        “Yes.” Was all he said, hand sliding into his jean pocket to pull out a box of cigarettes. Collin wrinkles his nose, probably having suddenly been hit with the powerful scent that he wasn’t used to. Paul rose a thick brow, begging the kid to say something. “What about you?”

        “Me?” He all but squeaks. Collin was suddenly all to interested in Paul working at his lighter. “Uh. Me? I uh...um well… I’m here...because… I left something-”

        “Bullshit.” The cigarette lights, the lighter is pocketed, and the broad man takes a drag before fixing a look on the mouth open kid. “Lemme guess. You’re here for the other one.”

        He actually does darken to match his auburn locks.

        Paul laughs. It’s something cynical.

        “Of fucking course.” He takes another drag. “Like we didn’t get enough shit after that whole Cullen drama.”

        “I-It’s different, isn’t it?” Paul raised a brow at the kid.

        Suddenly, Collin actually looked his age.

        Paul was aware that all of the two packs looked older than they were. They felt older than they were most of the time. But suddenly Collin looked like a seventeen year old kid looking terrified. That’s also when it clicked. The reason Collin came outside wasn’t just to tease Paul about his imprint, and how he was handling it, but because the kid was a seventeen year old boy who imprinted on a man.

        “Did you tell Sam?”

        “No!”

        “Jacob?”

        “No.” Collin glows. “No one knows. Just...you. How did you-?”

        “Same boat or whatever.” He bites a bit to hard into the filter and grimaces. “Be careful. You’re kind of being obvious.”

        “...Am I? Damn it.” The boy sighs, running a shaky tan hand through his hair. “It’s just. I… It’s wrong, right?”

        “What's wrong? Be specific. It’s too early for any of this shit.” Collin rolls his eyes at Paul’s normal grouchiness. It, of all the others, had to be this guy who so easily understood. Collin had waited for Emily and Sam to busy themselves with each other, and Jared to knock out in the middle of eating, before he came outside. A part of him knew it was all going to be brought up anyway with Paul.

        “The whole point of...of imprinting is passing it all on, isn’t? The curse.” The boy explained. He whispered imprinting as if he was a child cursing for the first time. Paul snorted, shoulders jostling with a half hearted shrug.

        “Hell if I know anymore. One of us already imprinted on someone who we still aren’t sure if they’ll die in a year or end the entire world. So, hell with tradition at this point.”

        “Paul I’m serious. It’s… It’s gross.”

        “What. Scared of getting cooties?” The man then hit the boy on the back of his head. He yelped, hands flying up to cover the wound. “‘Gross’. Christ. Aren’t you supposed to feel bad saying something like that? Damn. Hell if I know. Coming to me like I’m supposed to tell you to uphold traditions or to feel like you messed up by imprinting. That’s not my job.” He then frowns at the, obviously, upset kid.

        Collin leaned heavily against the side of the house. Half of him was listening to Paul’s rant, which was probably towards his own predicament as well, the other half straining to hear if any of the others were trying to listen in or not. He rubbed his head, feeling Paul’s hit already making a small knot.

        “I’m serious.” Collin finally mumbled. “Plus. I’m not...You know. He’s probably not either.” Paul sends the kid a hard look. Then, with a loud huff, drops his cigarette and stomps it out.

        “Talk to your Alpha. I’m definitely not the one to ask about that stuff. Definitely not right now.”

        “Paul-”

        Collin’s cut off by the sound of a car pulling into the gravel driveway around front. The engine cuts off almost immediately, the metal doors opening and voices flowing out. Both Paul and Collin stiffen at the familiar tones. They exchange tired glances.

        It was too early, Paul chants to himself once more, tiredly wiping a hand down his face as he hears Collin squeak again. Collin wildly looks around, as if trying to find a place to hide. Just as the kid looks ready to bolt towards the open woods, Paul grabs him by the arm and drags him inside before he can break free.

        “Morning Maxxie,” Emily says sweetly, at the front door waving for the two newcomers to scurry inside and out of the cold. The man, who stood at an annoying height of 6’4, walked in first to pull Emily into a tight bear hug.

        “Morning Em,” he breathed out, pulling away just in time to grab the jacket Amara discarded. Her hair, having been charged with static from the fleece, puffed up and framed her face like some kind of mane. It almost made Paul chuckle, but Max then immediately cupped the girl's face as he flattened her hair back down into place.

        “How was your morning?” Emily asked Amy sweetly. The women tilted her head, eyes flickering around the entire house, finding Collin and Paul at the side doors, before she gave a small nod.

        “It was okay.” She said simply.

        “Her dog ripped a hole in the screen door this morning,” Max elaborated. Amara sent him a look but nodded.

        “Our dog,” She began again, “is still not used to the house and doesn’t like being inside for long periods of time.” Emily hummed as she gestured for the duo to sit down at the mini white table. Paul took that moment to harshly push Collin forward. The boy tripped over his own feet, almost falling onto the couch where Jared slept.

        “You have people over even at this hour?” Max laughs as he says this, eyes crinkling when they catch sight of Collin stumbling.

        “They’re welcomed at any hour.” Sam says, slipping out into view. He looks the two men over before smiling at Amara and Maximus.

        “I just finished making breakfast, so you’re both just in time.” Emily went to turn back to the kitchen but stopped just to grab at Sam. “Help me, won’t you?” The couple dip out of Paul’s view, which leaves the only thing to look at is the ginger and brunette.

        Amara has found cracks in the table to trace and busy herself with, and Max had found his eyes on the two by the door.

        “Are you two eating?” He asks, grinning with pearly whites showing. Paul stops himself from glaring and just jostles his shoulders as he bypasses Collin to sit down. He takes his place he usually sat, which happened to be in front of the younger Young. Max smiles but Paul avoids the happy go lucky look with a scoff. He finds himself following Amy’s fingertips as she tapped at the table.

        “Is...your door completely bust?” Collin is quiet; barely heard. Wouldn’t have been if the house wasn’t so silent. He had found himself at the end of the table, but had yet to sit across from Amy. Instead, he nervously twists his fingers, eyes flickering between Maximus and his own feet.

        “We had to tie Canis up before we left.” Amy answers, without looking up. “I didn’t want her running around outside.”

        “I kept telling her the dog would be fine-”

        “She wouldn’t.” Amy interrupts. Max sighs.

        Paul knew he wasn’t the most perceptive person. Emily always told him he was pretty oblivious to “human” things. She never phrased it that way, but he knew that’s what she meant. Being a shifter left him with certain...abilities. He could smell if Emily had started dinner or not miles before he could see her house or if someone had been drinking the prior night and was being hit with a killer hangover. His eyes could see the details of a fly landing on food across the field on bonfire nights and see the walking crystal like appearances of vampires that humans never noticed unless the leeches were in direct sunlight. And his hearing was heightened enough that he could hear Quil using his baby talk to Claire at his house all the way from Paul’s or the faint movement of his fellow shifters while they moved through the woods. Yet. After all of that, he failed to read body language of others and seemed to miss “obvious” signs. So, when he watched Amy and Max lock eyes, he knew something was being said but he just couldn’t understand. It annoyed him. It was like a silent conversation was going on right in front of him - as if they were the ones with the telepathic connections.

        “Are there any places that sell or make doors?” Amara’s hazel eyes slip from Max’s, and there silent convo is broken.

        “No,” Collin replys, quick to speak as he finally takes a seat. “But doors are pretty easy to make.” Though he’s answering Amy, his eyes are solely focused on the ever smiling Max.

        “Wouldn’t that be fun?” The Nephew asks, nudging Amy. “That way it can be exactly what you want!”

        “I just want a door.” She replied softly. Then nods towards Collin as a form of thanking him for the information.

        “If you need help, I can swing by.”

        Amy's head snaps over, facing him head on as if she was surprised by Paul’s-

        Oh. Right. The only time she had heard anything from him was when he said he talked the same way Embry had at last night's dinner when he was trying to get into another girl's pants. The greatest god damn words to open up with.

        Her hazel eyes pierced him and he felt uncomfortable before them. That only served to piss him off, not liking that her stare was what bothered him. His lip curled up in a sneer, but the women didn’t back off.

        “What?” He snapped instead, which caught Max’s ears and soon the nephew was eyeing him as well.

        Amy breathed through her nose and then let her eyes fall away from Paul’s.

        “I’m sure Max can handle it on his own.”

        Paul’s hand fisted in his lap, his blunt nails digging moons into his palm.

        “That's just-” He began, bite to his words, but Collin slapped a hand to Paul’s bicep to physically cut his words off.

        “Are you sure? Me n’ Paul do repairs for the house all the time.” Paul crossed his arms, sneering at the empty air as he officially pulled himself out of the conversation. To hell with helping those two outsiders.

        He’d let Collin go over to hangout with his little crush or whatever. That door would never be finished if the kid just went to help. Making repairs on the house? Bullshit. Collin did as much work as Jared did. And Jared never did anything more productive than eating. Jacob and Paul were the main ones to help around the house. Usually Emily would call either one of them out to fix paneling or door hinges. Making a door would be easy for him. Not for Collin.

        Sam and Emily return with plates of biscuits, scrambled eggs, and bacon. Jelly jars are tossed onto the table and butter knives, spoons, and forks are passed out. Sam also sets down orange juice carton, milk, and a water jug on the middle of the table. Jared, “surprisingly”, wakes up at the scent of food and scurries over to join everyone at the table.

        Paul grabs a handful of bacon and biscuits, setting them down on the plate Emilly places down in front of him. Collin heads straight for the eggs and Jared hoards the rest of the bacon Paul hadn’t grabbed.

        Max and Amy are more civilized as they take their food. Amy takes a couple of biscuits, and snatches the strawberry jam jar right out of Jared’s grasp. At first it looked like an accident, but the quiet girl sends an actual smirk. He’s too flabbergasted to close his mouth as Amy smothers jam on her bun.

        “Eggs?” Max asks, pulling the bowl away from Collin just to pour a small amount onto Amara’s plates. She never agrees or asks for the eggs, but thanks Max.

        “Here,” She replied instead, passing the water jug his way. Paul, once more, is confused by their actions. How in the hell did Max know that Amy wanted eggs, or that she knew he wanted water? They passed things between each other without pause, as if they were reading each other's minds. Again, it started to annoy Paul.

        “So you need a new door?” Sam asks, starting a conversation over the silence of the conjoined brained wonders.

        “Yeah, dog ripped the screen.” Max relents, taking his cup of water up into hands.

        “You brought a dog with you?” Emily looks a bit too excited at the news. Sam gives her a look. Instead of answering, Maximus looks to Amy.

        “We did,” She says slowly. Her eyes flicker up to meet Emily’s and she seems almost guilty. “I’ve had her since she was little. It didn’t feel right traveling so far without bringing her. Sorry I should’ve-”

        “You’re absolutely fine!” Em claps hers hands together, dashing away any of Amy’s fears with a bright smile. “What breed is it?” The excitement laces Emily’s voice as it would a child's. Maximus hears it almost immediately and hides his laughing face with a quick turn of his head and a hand smothering his mouth.

        “She’s a rat-terrier. She’s still pretty young and can’t stand being without me or-” She stops, then, abruptly cutting off her words. It’s like a video freezing. She buffers and then a single blink snaps her back. “Max.” Paul watches as both her and Max deflate and the humor is sucked out of them.

        “What’s her name?” Jared asks.

        “Canis.” Max informs. He winces at the name. Emily and Sam pick up on whatever is going on with the duo and quickly change the subject.

        The rest of breakfast is filled with small talk. Emily even had the gall to bring up the weather of all things. Max is all too happy to keep her rolling. He looked used to Emily chattering. Paul had heard that those two had actually grown up together, even if they were only aunt and nephew. Collin and Jared seemed pretty happy to add to the needless chit chat too. The only people keeping quiet was Paul, who was still in a shit mood from earlier in the early morning, and Amy. Which, at this point, he had labeled as the “speak only when spoken too” kind of girl. He wasn't sure if that annoyed him or not.

        It probably did.

        Sam and Jared cleaned up the table quickly and quietly. Emily, not liking the odd silence, immediately stood up with a simple yet sweet smile centered on her nephew.

        “I still haven’t given you both a house tour!” Max looked all too happy at the idea and stood up too.

        “That sounds great! You wanna look around, Ames?” Paul, having gathered that this Amara was shy and quiet, believed that she’d say no and instead continue to sit quietly with him. Instead the woman’s eyes lit up and it was crazy to see a smile trying to hide itself against her lips.

        “That sounds perfect.”

 

        It’s night. Late. Max and Amy had long ago left the Uley house, which had been filled to the brim of men by noon and dwindled to only a handful after dinner. Like every other night at the house, the men were loud and boisterous, all laughing and making fun. Max fit well into the loud group. He rough housed, he laughed, and he yelled. Amy found it endearing to watch him act like he always did when he was just with her. It was a relief.

        Returning home felt like entering another friends house. It didn’t feel like home. The realization was taken in stride as Amara turned on the lights. They flickered as they lit the living room space up with a yellow film. Amy bent down to pet her dog’s head. She was whining. Her big eyes were wet as she nuzzled closer to her owner, wanting some kind of feeling of home - as did Amy.

        “So while I was talking to Sam he said that he’d bring Paul with him tomorrow to help build a new door for you.” Max enters the house with a bounce in his step, tupperware boxes stacked in his arms. He walks in only to watch Amy slowly stand and turn to him with a fallen expression. “Ames?”

        “I think I miss home.”

        “Amy…” The woman hangs her head down, curls falling over themselves to try and cradle her face. The sight pulled at Max as he set the boxes down on the coffee table. The last time he’d seen Amy look so obviously distraught was when she was told by the police to give up on finding her brother. Max knew that missing home wasn’t too far from her problem.

        He opened his arms up silently. She didn’t look up as she walked forward. Her head bumped in his chest and then she curled in on herself as his arms wrapped around her.

        “We’ll find him.” Max stated. He tried to imbue Amy with his confidence but she just pulled her arms tighter against her chest, shrinking in on herself. “Your brother- Percy wouldn’t just leave you. No matter what anyone says. You and I both know this, Ames.” He then gently pulled back so he could get her eyes to meet his.

        “I know.” She says softly. Then, just like that, she recomposed herself and turned to go to put the containers of boxed food Emily had given them away into the fridge.

        Amara had episodes just as Max had. While his mostly stemmed from interactions with his family, Amy’s only just stared occurring. At first, they only would take her over when people would mention her missing brother around her. She would lose sight of rational side and just...collapse. Yet, now they were becoming more frequent. He was positive moving out of her childhood home, childhood state, and moving all the way to the freezing Forks of Washington was the catalyst.

        Maximus couldn’t stand it. Since he first met little Amara in third grade, she just starting first, she had become some kind of idol in his eyes. She stood up tall and brave before any obstacle she was faced with. She used her brains and brawns to conquer any and all; and to him, she was brilliant. Growing up with her, and Percy, made Max feel like no matter what happened at home, he had a home to go to. The fact that Percy was gone now meant that the person Amy went to, her pillar, was stripped from her. She had Max, of course, but Max never played the rock in her life. It was always vice-versa.

        Amy returns from the kitchen. Before she heads to her room she stops and flashes a sweet, small smile towards Max.

        “Thanks,” She says before she hurries off.

        Maybe Percy was gone. Maybe the eldest White brother just up and left or something worse happened to him- but either way, he left Amy by herself. The one woman Max knew should not be left by herself. So, if her brother wasn’t going to be there for her, Max was just going to have to take that spot.


	5. Underestimating is Unappealing

        Sam, Paul, and Jacob came early to the Young household. When they parked in the driveway they almost believed they had come too early with how dark and quiet the house was, along with the area around them. (It was odd how none of the hearing heightened males could pick up any birds twittering or animals rustling around. In fact, even Seth, the member with the best hearing, had mentioned that very morning he was starting to hear forest life less and less.) When Sam knocked, Amara and Maximus both answered immediately. The women opened the door for the trio, the man peered out of the kitchen with his arms elbow deep in a large sink of water.

        “Morning!” He called, giving a wave that flung water everywhere.

        “You’re making a mess,” Amy said with a sigh. “Can’t even clean dishes-”

        “I can clean dishes.” Max snaps, but he looks a little too happy when Amy ignores him to lead their guests farther into the house.

        “Sorry if we came too early.” Sam said, giving a short greeting. He remained standing as Paul practically threw himself into the single love seat in the living room, Jacob finding the couch a good place to set himself.

        “You’re fine.” Amy reply's quickly. “Max and I wake up pretty early ourselves.” She then looks over her shoulder, to a hallway that lead to three doors. “Let me go get dressed.”

        Without another word she left the room.

        “Did you guys eat?” Max dips around the corner, giving a cheesy smile to the trio with dripping wet arms and sleeves rolled thickly up to his shoulders.

        “N-”

        “Yes.” Sam snaps, quickly cutting off Paul. Jacob chuckles at the look Paul sends Sam. He stands up, setting hands on his waist as he walks over to Max.

        “Ignore them,” he whispers, nudging Max back into the kitchen as he moved forward. “They’ve been at each other’s throats lately.” Max just nods. He hadn’t noticed either being particularly antagonistic towards each other - but then again he didn’t really know the two men well enough to recognize any signs.

        “Did something happen?” He asks finally, returning to the sink with Jacob in tow. The man grimaces, glancing over his shoulder as if he could see through the wall into the living room where the others sat.

        “Well…” He began softly. He then sighs. “Paul’s just not listening to Sam. Though he never actually does so I don’t really get why Sam is so surprised.” He then shakes his head as he claps the other on the back. “But it’s not a big deal, don’t worry.”

        “As long as they don’t try to use the saws on one another.” Max says, laughing with another wave of his dripping arm.

        Jake hands him a hand towel not too far away, letting the man dry off his hands and pull his stripped sweater sleeves back down to his wrists.

        “By the way where is that...uhm..” Max trails off with a tilt of his head. “That boy with the wild hair?” Jacob raises a suspicious brow that gets both of them chuckling as they move back to the living room.

        “Collin, you mean?”

        “Is that it? He was with Sam, Paul, and I yesterday morning. He seemed like he really wanted to come over to help.” Max then makes a face. “Though I don’t know why he’d want to help with something so annoying.”

        “Collin has school.” Max raises a brow as a door in the back of the house clicks open, then shut.

        “High school, right? He’s only...what? Seventeen?” Jacob nods. For some reason the way Max asks seems to bother Jake.

        Amara steps into the living room to see an odd scene. Though she was now dressed in the proper attire to work, none of the men in her living room seemed ready to go.

        Sam and Paul were silently glaring at each other. Paul looked like he was seething, while Sam held more of a silent rage. Both looked ready to pounce on one another, but were just barely restraining themselves. Jacob and Max were in the archway between the kitchen and living room. Max was looking perplexed and clueless while Jacob bit the inside of his cheek to stop whatever was rolling around in his head from spilling out.

        Amy clicked her tongue.

        “Should I go ahead and start?”

        Four sets of eyes swivel and hit her already rolling ones. With a toss of her shoulder she walked past all of them, only stopping in the doorway.

        “Max and I already bought the wood. I’ll get it out of his car.” She then shuts the ripped door behind her.

        For a second the four men watch her through the two large windows. Then, when she pops the back of Blueberry open, everyone, excluding Maximus, moves to rush and help the woman.

        As always, it’s cold as soon as the group steps outside. The wolfie trio don’t hint to feeling the temperature drop, mostly because they don’t with their heated bodies. Max does as he veers away from the direction of his truck in favor of the area of tools. When he notices where the guys are heading, he pauses.

        “Amara can get it. Come help me with sorting this stuff out.” Sam turns on his heels, looking more intent on helping out Maximus, his new wife’s nephew, more than the actual project on hand. Jacob hesitates but relents, quickly jogging over to snatch the power saw from Max’s newbie hands before he hurts himself. Paul, however, continues on his path to Amy.

        She’s wearing a tight t-shirt made out of material meant for hugging bodies. It’s tucked into her thick dark blue jeans that are rolled up to her ankles, allowing her stained ash tan boots fit properly on her smaller feet. Her hands are in large, over sized, stuffed gloves, protecting them from any harm they might receive from working with wood. She gets a good grip on the oak, but is stopped by Paul.

        “Let me do it.” He says this more as a command than a polite option. Amy lifts her eyes his way and then shakes her head.

        “I can handle it.” The man scoffs, raising a thick brow.

        “This?” He hits the solid slab of wood. “There is no way you can carry this by yourself.” A disbelieving, angry frown knit his lips as she, once again, shook her head. Couldn’t she just let him help her? He was trying to be nice. Paul wasn’t nice. Well. He could be - sometimes. But even he knew he wasn’t the “nice” one. Jacob and Seth were the nice ones.

        “I can lift this.” Amy states. Then, obviously annoyed at Paul insisting she couldn’t, sat her hand roughly down on the wood. “Do you honestly think I can’t?”

        “Wh- I just said there is no way you can!” His teeth click as his voice raises a bit. “Just let me lift the damn piece of-”

        “No.” This time, Paul clenches his jaw. He in fact clenches his entire body, trying to stop himself from snapping. This woman would not just let him be nice, would she?

        He hits his hip against hers, using a bit too much of his supernatural strength in the bump, effectively making her stumble away from the wood. He grabs the material, grumbling under his breath as he begins to pull. However, Amara’s usual mask falls as she glares. Instead of nudging the man back with the same amount of power as he had hit her, she throws herself into him. He, not expecting the women to suddenly fight back, trips over his own feet and actually falls to the ground.

        Amara then swiftly wraps her gloved hands around the edge of the wood, muscles in her arms bulging a she hefts the oversized piece out of Max’s car. She doesn’t even spare a glance to the fallen man and makes her way over to the other men doing their job.

        Jacob is trying his hardest not to laugh as Sam hurries over to, the already standing, Paul to make sure he doesn’t shift as he trembled in anger. Max ignores the whole scene, almost looking a bit annoyed as he helps Amara sets the wood onto the sawing table he’d set up.

        “I told you she could get it.” Is all he says before he and Jacob start working.

        The barking of a small dog grabs Amara and she quickly heads inside. As soon as she’s out of earshot Paul turns shining eyes to Sam.

        “What the fuck is actually wrong with her? Soulmate my fucking ass. Who’d want to be with such a stubborn and confusing women?” He then growls when his chest hurts at his own words, only getting his anger to spike again.

        “Calm down, Paul. If you-”

        “If I what!? Shift and attack her? Shift and expose us?” He then tears his arm from Sam’s grip. “I’m not-” he then stopped, gulping down a breath before he swiveled on his heel and darted into the forest. Sam sighed, watching the man go, before slowly making his way over to Max and Jacob.

        “He seems mad,” Max comments, eyes following his pencil marks.

        “Paul...Kind of always is?” Jacob remarks, humming quietly to himself. He then gives a small glance to Sam. “Like I said. On edge.” He tries his best not to make it too obvious he’s gesturing to Sam, referring to their earlier conversation. Max just quietly nods.

        Amara returns from the house, little Canis running out ahead of her, all too excited to be out of her lock-down in her owner’s bedroom. The little dog is silent as she runs over to start sniffing at Sam and Jake. The taller one is quick to crouch down and pet the oddly quiet pup, while Sam looks a bit uncomfortable at the entrance of the unknown canine.

        “Is she the trouble maker that ruined your door?” Jacob asks, voice sounding like a mother coddling their newborn. Amara nods, crouching down next to him to also pet her dog.

        “She isn’t used to such weak doors.”

        “Apparently you aren’t either. How could you lift such a heavy piece of wood?” Jacob stands, obviously impressed as he gestured wildly to the chunk of wood.

        “Ames wanted to be a bodybuilder when she was in high school.” Max blurts, grinning ear to ear.

        “Woah, really?”

        “No.” Amy snaps, eyeing Maximus. The boy giggles as the girl lets a smile hit her lips in amusement. “I did a lot of weight training while I was still in high school. When I got to college I just...Didn’t stop.” Amy seems to inflate at her explanation. The girl usually held herself in a way that hinted to the fact she wasn’t shy. But now confidence oozed from her.

        “She was on the girls wrestling team.” Max states. When Jacob gives him a look, wondering if he can trust the information, Amara verbally confirms it.

        “Weight training class, Wrestling, I tried out boxing but I didn’t like it very much.” Her small smile grew larger. “Or my teacher didn’t like me very much.” At that Max lets out a sudden guffaw. Sam takes over sawing as Max turns to Jacob.

        “Her teacher hated her!” He tugs Amy to his side with with a swipe of his arm. “This girl was all about knocking out her opponents with one heavy left hook instead of working on strategy.” Jacob whistled. “The teacher hated her so much because Amy always won that way.”

        “I’ve never met a single girl like you,” Jake states. “Usually they’re all...Uhm…” he scrambles to find the right words.

        “Frail?” Amara supplies, eyes lighting up. “Squeamish? Frightfully puny? Stereotypically feminine? Soft and shy?” Jacob blinked slowly at the flood of rapid words and just stuttered out a nod before he started laughing.

        “I guess? I mean, yeah. Well, I guess Leah is an exception.” At the opportunity of information Amy gave an innocent, yet goading, look.

        “How is she? She is the one I saw at last night’s dinner, yes? The only female with you all other than Emily?”

        Jacob nods, leaning against the table that wasn’t being used for the sawing, but instead where the tools had been piled for the job.

        “Yeah, her. She’s Seth’s older sister. She’s definitely not like most girls. I guess she’s more like you.” Amy hums in prompting. “Strong. Definitely not shy.”

        “Not shy?” Max asks. “I thought she was the type of girl who was shy but hid it by being pissed all the time.”

        “She’s pissed, but not shy.” Sam pipes up. “Untrusting isn’t the same as being shy.”

        “Being quiet isn’t being shy, either.” Amara says, obviously referring to herself. Jacob grins and nods.

        “I guess it isn’t.”

        When the door is finished and polished, the men make quick work of replacing the old torn door. Kindly, they even add a lock above the handle, seeming to calm Amara even more.

        “Bears aren’t going to lock pick your door,” Jacob teases after Amy tells him and Sam of the incident the first day Max and her had arrived at the house. She had retaliated with a quick elbow to his side, which got him an understanding pat from Maximus.

        Paul was still nowhere in sight by the time the door was finished and in place, the sun hung low in the sky. No one had expected the door to take the entire day, but when mentioned, Sam reminds them that they had painted it, and varnished it, all at once, chatting between coats, instead of the usual 24 hour wait times between coats.

        “Did Paul head home?” Max asks just before Jacob and Sam move to get back into their car, any tools they had brought over having just been packed away in their trunk.

        “Probably,” Jake says with a shrug, eyes flitting up to catch the sunset between the trees. “He went to cool down.”

        “He has a temper.” Amara states, arms crossed. Partly because remembering the way Paul acted annoyed her, but also because she could feel how quick the already low temperature had dropped as the shadows crawled across them all.

        “That he does.” Sam said with a huff. He shook his head. Then, with eyes focused on Amara, said, “But give him a chance. He isn’t bad.”

        “Yeah!” Jake added. “Paul’s pretty cool. He’s a great guy once you get used to him.” Amy rose an invisible brow but simply gave a small nod, deciding to drop the topic in favor of weaving her fingers into Max’s sleeve.

        “Thank you guys for coming out and helping us get the door done. I would’ve never been able to do it myself.”

        “We wouldn’t even have a door if he started it by himself.” Max gave Amy a look, hooking a tight arm around her shoulder to bring her uncomfortably close.

        “No problem.” Sam said, reaching out a hand that Max quickly took up.

        “Call us if you need anything man. You’re a Young.” Jacob says this as if the last name is more of a title to be branded than a simple surname. For some reason, the way he says it, Max feels the need to brandish it. To take his name as a title. It was as if the guy was saying Max was already apart of the mismatched, ragtag family. And that idea made him way too happy.

        With the last of the goodbyes, the duo heads inside their home while the other two drive off back to their own.

        Canis, the small rat-terrier, had played herself out during the day. She had been spoiled rotten by Jacob, who couldn’t help but stop multiple times to play with the puppy. She was now curled up in the house, snoring her little heart out in the heat of her small but puffy dog bed.

        Maximus is quick to throw his tools into one of the hall closets he’d “dibbed”. Too tired to put them away but conscious enough not to leave them in the open where Canis could get hurt if she became too curious. He began discarding gloves, shoes, socks, and eventually pants on the way to his room. Before he got rid of his shirt, though, he looked back over to Amara, who had situated herself in the kitchen. The only reason he could see her from the hallway to their bedrooms was because the microwave happened to be on the far left of the counter.

        “You not going to bed?” He called. Amy turned her head to her left, but refused to lift her eyes or turn towards Max.

        “Eventually. I’m going to drink something warm before I do.” Max made a noise to approve before shutting himself in his room.

        The house was oddly quiet then. Amara had noticed this the first night she spent in the house, but after spending the whole day with three loud men, it was ever more apparent.

        The city in Nevada that Max and her originally lived in was a large city, but it never felt large since she was born and raised there. It felt normal. She had adapted to the loud highways and the compacted buildings. However, coming here, in comparison it felt like her city was wild and crazy.

        Forks was small, cold, and quiet. Everyone seemed to know each other. Houses were even farther apart in La Push, and it felt like she was out in the country with the acres of land between homes.

        There were insects singing. Loudly. But they were like dull white noise compared to the cars Amy was used to. There was also wind, but once more, it was nothing compared to the sound of sand sprinkling against windows during the night. This house creaked and called instead of sitting silently. It felt like it moved with the gentle wind, bobbing to the music of the insects.

        The microwave beeps and she takes out her reheated cup of tea. She hadn’t finished it that morning, a rarity, and refused to pour it down the drain. She held it securely in her palms, wanting the warmth more than it’s taste.

        A wolf howls.

        It’s distant, but it causes Amy to shiver. Or maybe that was the chill of the house? She can’t differentiate.

        Was the thing that caused that tree to shake really a bear? Could it have been a wolf, instead, Amy muses? She couldn’t picture a wolf strong or big enough to shake the thick trees that grew by the house. Only massive, close to hibernating bears could shake those evergreens.

        The wolf howls again. It’s obviously closer to the house now. Though, with the proper door now before her, she doesn’t fear the animalistic noises as she had before. It’s a silly security, she knows, but it does well to soothe her nerves. That, or the tea was lulling her to sleep. She still can not differentiate.

        A wolf cries. This time it’s so close Amy flinches. He hazel eyes, sparking in the moonlight flooding through her front windows, slide out into the dark of the night to see if she can see the animal. She creeps up to the glass she oh so hated, hoping to catch a glimpse of the canine. Or a pack of canines? There was the idiom “lone wolf”, by Amy was positive wolfs strived to stay in large groups. They were family oriented animals.

        Foliage shifts before her and her breath catches, her hands squeezing on her mug.

        There really was an animal outside her house.

        Amara is close to turning and either going to bed, aka hiding in her room, or running to wake Max. To prove to him that she hadn’t been tired that first night and had truly heard an carnivores growling. That it hadn’t been a deer.

        Amy hopes that the shaking foliage is from a deer, though.

        Slowly, something edges from the wall of deep green.

        First it’s something small and shiney high up from the ground: a nose.

        Then, there's a muzzle. Since it’s still in the shadows Amy can’t make out any of the coloring. However, she is drawn to the glint of two eyes peering over the snout of the animal. They shine and spin in the dark, like glass marbles under direct light. They glisten as they stare at the house- no, straight at Amy.

        The animal doesn’t move further. No. Not until Amara opens the front door and stands in the open doorway.

        The cold air cradles her body as she stands in fearful, confused wonder. She doesn’t know why she opened the door - the object that had become her ridiculous security. She can’t understand the feeling curling in her chest as the marble eyes stare into her- through her.

        The animal moves again and now the woman can clearly tell that it’s supposed to be a kind of wolf. Of course, if wolves were the massive size of hibernation-ready grizzly bears. The “wolf” inches further out from it’s spot, stepping out of the shadows of the trees.

        Amy’s breath catches.

        It’s fur is a dark silver, sparkling in the moonlight like the sky itself. It’s a brilliant take on the night, the animals fur. It’s beautiful and entrancing and-

        And the wolf moves closer. It’s slow in it movements. Amy wishes she could remember if it was showing signs of hesitance or that of a hunter stalking its prey. Her mind, that was usually fast paced and a step ahead of those around her, was hiccuping in the sight of the massive beast.

        Logically, Amy should be on edge standing in front of such a powerful animal.

        Logically, a wolf should never grow to such a terrifying size.

        However, Amara, the ever curious woman, is entranced by the way the wolf studied her. It’s eyes were so human. Even the wolf’s confused expression was something humanly familiar. Amy assumed that, with such human eyes, that she should be able to read the wolf as she does with other humans. Eyes were what gave her all of her answers, any how. Yet, she couldn’t tell if the wolf expected her to be it’s late night snack, or if it was just as curious of the human women as she moved towards it.

        A wolf howls. Amy can tell it’s much different than the one she had been hearing up to that point. The animal before her perks up, though it’s eyes never leave her. It then...Appears to wilt, as if wanting to stay and watch the women. A feeling she had as well - but of course towards the wolf and not herself.

        She slips inside, quickly, just as the wolf tenses and dart back into the dark of the forest.

        Amara pours out her tea and goes to bed.


	6. Wrestling Expressions

        Amara quite liked Emily’s house. She also loved spending time with Emily herself. Part of it was because watching Maximus and Emily interact was like watching Percy and Maximus interact. It was a familiar sibling-like relationship that did well to remind Amy how much Max truly loved the idea of family; even if he never was able to have a real one growing up.

        Amy also liked watching the people who turned up at Emily’s house. It had only been two weeks since Maximus and Amara had arrived, but most of their days had been spent at the aunt’s house. Amy quickly realized she didn’t mind as much as she thought she originally would’ve.

        Surprisingly, Amy didn’t spend the majority of her time people watching. At first, the men that filtered in and out let her have her own space.

        Sam and Maximus were bonding, in their own odd way. Max was the young spirited man and Sam was the father like figure to even his friends, but they were the same age. Their personalities never clashed though. Sometimes Amara would catch them whispering to each other in the corner of the kitchen. She’d catch Emily’s name being thrown back and forth multiple times, their faces somber but warm as they talked. Other times they were the center of attention as they cracked jokes with each other.

        Eventually though, after three days of Amara silently drinking her coffee or tea on the couch as the others mingled throughout the day, they refused to leave her alone.

        “My names Jared.” Jared suddenly stated after coming into the quiet house. All the others, as usual, were out front talking, eating, and drinking. Jared stepped inside, right up in front of Amy, who was positioned so she could see out the window at everyone. “Come outside, I want you to meet the others.” He said this with a big grin. He was referring to a new girl, along with the guys that she had never been officially introduced to. Behind him Amy had seen many of the guys turn to watch. Obviously, they had sent Jared in to win Amy over.

        It only took a couple of words to get the woman outside. After that no one let her be by herself whenever she visited the house. Usually it was Embry or Quil that made her join. Though other times it was Sadie or Claire, the two little sisters of Max, who had started to visit more frequently, that would tug the ginger along with them. The others would talk to her whenever they saw her, but were never the type to force her along.

        For instance, many times she'd find herself talking to Seth, a very innocent and sweet boy, about La Push and Forks. He’d tell her everything and anything she wanted to know about without pause. He never seemed bothered by her questions or tired by the long explanations he gave. Usually their conversations would morph into her asking how he was and him relaying any events that had recently happened in the group. She’d let him run off to his friends, even in the middle of talking, if they called. And he’d ask her to join, once,  out of politeness, but never twice.

        Or she’d curl up on the couch early in the morning, since Max always wanted to drive over as soon as he was awake, with a cup and puzzle book. Jared would, usually, show up an hour after the newcomers arrived, and sit down right next to her. At first he gave his distance, at least the entire couch, and would never say more than ‘Good morning’. However, it didn’t take long before he began inching a little bit closer each day, talking more and more. ‘Have a good morning?’, ‘Max rush you again?’, ‘What’re you drinking?’, ‘What’re you doing?’. It all ended with him sitting thigh to thigh with her, half of his body strewn across her lap as he laughed and made jokes, poking fun at her, or wanting her to read out loud if she happened to bring a book.

        And Amy didn’t mind. She didn’t mind Jared using her as a pillow as she read in the morning, how sickly sweet Seth naturally was, the way Quil would force her to play with him, Claire, and Sadie if he was the only one inside, how Embry would forcibly sling an arm around her to tug her outside so she could be with everyone, or how Jacob would treat her like a part of his group and berate her when she forgot to talk.

        She secretly loved it all.

        “You don’t have to join them if you don’t want.” Leah said one day, eyes focused on the group trying to strangle each other before her. It was the first words she had ever spoken to Amara. Amy gave a sideways glance to the copper skinned woman, who stood about five inches shorter than herself.

        “And you can join them if you want.” This gave a swivel of a head. Amy doesn’t drop the brown eyes that suddenly meet her hazel ones.

        “What?” Leah asks, bite almost immediately back into her voice. Amara blinks slowly, wondering if she shouldn’t have started their conversation in such a deductive fashion.

        “You always hang back and watch them instead of joining.” The redhead states. “I don’t think you’re like me, either.” Leah narrows her eyes, obviously becoming annoyed.

        “What does that mean?”

        “I like watching. I don’t mind not being apart of things. I don’t think you’re like that.”

        “You don’t what I’m like period.” Leah growls this.

        Yet instead of stomping off, as she usually did when she was mad, she stilled herself. She paused at Amara’s side, head tilting down towards the ground.

        “I...don’t.” Amy finally says. It’s soft. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” Leah gives her a look.

        “You didn’t. If I was offended that easily I wouldn’t have stuck around with all of these idiots.” She throws her eyes back to the group, which had turned into a sketchy wrestling matching between Collin and Brady. Leah crosses her arm tightly across her chest.

        A silence emits between them, then. A pregnant pause as Collin throws Brady off of him and then pins the other boy quickly under him. Jacob hollers out a winner and Collin jumps up with a hoot of victory, throwing a winner's grin Max’s way, who was cheering the loudest out of them all. Amy finds her eyes following Paul, who was shirtless as he cracked his neck, waving for Jared to join him in the ring of people. Paul was smirking ear to ear, confidence rolling off of him as Jacob began a countdown for the wrestling to begin. When their bodies smacked into one another, Amy heard Leah snort.

        “Paul is going to win.” Amara hums at Leah’s remark. “He’s the strongest.”

        “Is he really?” Amara inquires, watching as Paul butts Jared’s attempt of a grapple. “All of them look like they could be body builders.

        “They do, don’t they?” A funny smile curls on Leah’s lips. “You’re not too far off. Heard you did...weight training?” Amy nodded.

        “In high school and college. It was something to do.”

        “I understand that. Your town as quiet as this?”

        “No,” Amara crosses her own arms. “But it felt like it. At the time. Now...My memories of Nevada are too loud.” Amy found her eyes drifting to the grass, her fingers embedding themselves into her arms as she felt one of her “episodes” slowly creep close.

        Her memories of Nevada were loud because they were filled with Percy’s voice. Him talking with Max. Him asking how Amy’s day went. Him playing with their dog Canis. Him complaining about work but reassuring everyone that he was fine. Percy was always “fine” in Amara’s memories of him. Maybe that’s why he-

        “Let’s wrestle.” Leah’s prompt is so sudden it shakes Amy from her mind’s cage. Hazel eyes flickered down to chocolate brown ones. “You were some weight lifter, right? I bet you’ve lost all that muscle since college.”

        “Perhaps. But I will inform you I’ve been wrestling since before I could ride a bike.”

        Something sparked in both of the women's eyes then. A competitive sparkle that made them both tense up at the challenge. Paul and Jared had just finished their spout and, as they were leaving the circle, Leah quickly called out that she was next.

        “Wait, really Leah?” Seth asked, surprised his sister was joining in the horse play.

        “If she’s in than I-” Jacob began, but was quickly cut off by Amy’s hand flying into the air.

“I’ll wrestle you, then.”

        Leah walked into the circle, rolling her arms back in a threatening kind of fashion - to intimidate Amy. However, the red head confidently walked over to the circle. As she went she stripped herself of her sweater, pushing it into Paul’s chest as she passed him, revealing her body tight undershirt.

        As the woman stretched, muscles were seen moving under her top. She lowered her stance, a curl of a smile lighting her face at the sudden idea of wrestling. Leah appeared just as ready, fighting to try and give a serious look, but failing as she couldn’t contain her obvious excitement.

        “Twenty bucks on Amara.” Max said before Jacob could even start counting down. Jared rose a brow, elbowing the other. Jacob started counting down from three, then.

        “I’ll take you up on that. Raise you ten, though, ‘cause Leah’s definitely going to win.” Jared retorted.

        “Hah. I’m betting on Amara too.” Paul stated, nudging his way between the two.

        As soon as Jacob said ‘go’, Amy sprung off of her feet and dove into Leah.

        The two girls ended up wrestling a handful of times, four and a half in total. The half being from when they had started, but were stopped by Emily calling everyone for dinner. On the way inside the boys were yelling and bickering over Leah’s and Amara’s heads, trying to figure out who won over all since the women evenly tied in wins and loses.

        “You’re pretty strong.” Paul admitted once dinner had been finished and most of the guests had left to return home. The only people left were the Uley’s, Max, Collin, Amy, and Paul. The Uley’s had retired early while Max and Collin had slipped out the back door to chat. Paul had stopped Amy before she could go out front to wait in Max’s truck, Blueberry.

        “I am.” Amara said simply. “I told you.” Paul’s eye twitched but he sucked in a quick breath.

        “You...Did. Guess I should’ve believed you.” He shrugged it off, a grin forming. “But I did bet on you. Didn’t I? That counts for something.” Amy hummed, leaning against the living room wall with her hands intertwining over her abdomen.

        “I suppose it does.” She mused. Her eyes trailed over Paul, then. They fluttered across any features that stood out along his copper toned body. He would’ve liked to assume she was checking him out, but her lips were in the usual straight line and her eyes showed no other ulterior motives than studying.

        “So,” Paul began slowly. “Why did you and Max move all the way to Washington?” He hated small talk as much as the next person, but it was the only way he could get to know the silent woman. A faint brow lifted into red curly bangs at his question.

        “Didn’t you hear from the others? I assume information travels fast between you all.” It did. Paul had heard the story a handful of times. Each one different and more twisted depending on which wolf explained it. Sam had said it was simply because Emily had invited them both. Yet Collin said that Amara had forced Max to take her with him. And then Quil had mentioned something about Max coming down to see his family so that he could steal Claire away from him and “oh Amy came too”.

        "Maybe. But I want to hear it from you.” Amy avoided answering. This was the one valid piece of information Paul had gotten: Amy hated talking about and divulging things about herself. It was why Paul had started relying on second hand info from the pack. Also why he asked Emily how the hell she was able to talk to the ginger so well. It seemed like literally everyone, other than Collin and Paul, were able to talk to Amy without hitch. Even though she was annoyingly criptive. Like, who the hell liked people-watching and keeping silent? Apparently Amara.

        Paul decided to listen to the advice Emily had given.

        “I moved here when I was eight.” When hazel eyes snapped to him he quickly looked away. He cleared his throat. Wow he..really was not prepared to share information about himself. No wonder Amara hated doing it. “Came up with my dad from Tacoma.”

        There it was. The spark in her eyes. He tried to push down the sense of achievement welling up in his chest. It was the first time she’d given him that look of interest. Finally. He’d seen her get that look with everyone - even Leah.

        “Only your dad?” She asks softly.

        “Yeah. It was right after the divorce.” Amy silently nodded. Then, after a pregnant pause, shifted in her position on the wall.

        “Emily invited Max down to visit her. I…” She slowly breathed in. She took another look over Paul, this time meeting his slate brown eyes. Amy pursed her lips tightly. “Max asked if he could bring me. Because I had nowhere else to go and he wouldn’t leave me.” The corner of her lips twitched. “You might not have known him for longer than two weeks, but I’ve known him my entire life. He doesn’t leave people.”

        “What happened?” Amara’s brows furrowed and Paul pocketed his hands. “I mean, why didn’t you have a place to stay?”

        His question is reasonable. Amy knows this. But by giving him a small piece of intel, he would want more. The same way that she wanted to know more about him. She wasn’t sure why - well… Amy knew she liked knowing any and all things, especially about strangers. She wanted to get to know the people she was going to be spending time with, for it eased her nerves. She was never a people person. But for some reason she wanted to know more about Paul. At least had more of a want to forwardly seek out information about him more than the others.

        “Do you live in Emily’s house or do you live else where?” Paul’s eyes narrow at the obvious duck around his question, but can’t smother a grin. This was the most she’d ever spoken to him.

        “Just because I hang around here doesn’t mean I’m taking up one of their rooms.” Paul shook his head. “Like I said, I’m with my dad.” He leaned forward a bit.

        Amara is hit with multiple scents washing over her from the man's closeness. There was the smell of pine and something like a wet camp fire. There was also smoke. Different from a put out fire. No, this was a vivid smell of cigarettes. Amy can tell that it’s the same brand from her childhood.

        “What about your parents?” He asks this with no hesitance. To anyone it would be a simple question. He raises a curious brow, not noticing the way Amy stiffens.

        “My parents.” She repeats. “My parents...Aren’t together anymore either.”

        “Sorry,” He replies gruffly. He hadn’t seemed ready to hear that Amy’s family wasn’t put together. He had expected her to give some acute description of her folks. He isn’t sure how to move on, the silence surrounding Amy now, for once, awkward. He glances away, his eyes catching sight of Max and Collin out the back window.

        “Don’t apologize. It was a long time ago. I think...when I was ten?” She hums to herself, fingers moving to push at her cheek in thought. Her memory was usually crisp and quick, yet when it came to her childhood, which she tried her best to forget, the small facts sometimes became lost to her. “My turn-”

        “Your turn?” Paul muses. Amy cutely tilted her head to the side.

        “Aren’t we taking turns asking questions?” The man blinked slowly, and then started laughing. “I...Did I miss something? Why’re you laughing?”

        “I just..” He brought a large hand up to try and smother his chuckling. He pushed at his mouth, wiping away his too large smile. “The only way I can get you to talk is by asking you questions. You just like asking them too.”

        “I…” Amy then nodded. Her pale speckled cheeks faintly colored as she tucked a curl behind her ear. “Sorry. The only way I could get you to talk was by asking you questions.” She then flitted her hazel eyes from the ground to meet Paul’s head on. He just then realized that they were the same height.

        Maximus and Collin comes back inside, covering their laughs as they hushed each other to be quiet, as the new Uley couple was trying to sleep upstairs. They stop in their tracks though when they see the two other adults in front of them. Amy was leaning back against the wall, Paul, to Max, looking as if he was cornering the woman. He was too close in the man’s opinion so, before Collin could grab him, he marched closer.

        “Sorry,” He bit out, large smile pulling sourly up on his cheeks. “Me and Amy have to start heading back.” Paul casted a pissed look to Max, for interrupting. However, before he could open his mouth to spit something venomous out, Amara slipped out from him and moved around to grab her sweater hanging on the couch's armrest. She quickly tugged it on over her head and then turned eyes to Max, giving a tiny nod. The man very visibly relaxed. The look he turned onto Paul was half of the intensity from before and Paul wondered if, somehow, the non-shifter had imprinted too.

        Maximus was quick to exit the house after he said goodbye to Collin. Amy, however, stopped in the doorway.

        “Goodbye, Paul.” The man stiffened but gave a terse nod back, large hand flying up to give a clumsy wave. As soon as the door shut he slapped said hand to his face and angrily dragged it down til it fell. Collin walked up to his side. The two men stay silent as they watch the bright blue car pull out and quickly disappear into the trees.

        “So.” Collin said, glancing to the shorter male.

“Shut up.” Paul snapped, turning to start stomping toward the back door.

        “I didn’t say anything!” Paul whipped around, swiping at Collin, who quickly jumped back and out of reach.

        “You were thinking something stupid.” The boy glared, but Paul was already through the back door, shifting, and running into the forest.

        Probably to go visit Amara, Collin thought grumpily.

 

        “So?” Max asks, pearly white teeth full in his mouth. He was trying his hardest to keep his eyes on the road, but his giddiness kept bringing them to Amara. She too had a goofy smile that she was trying to hide with the back of her freckled hand. Be it from what they both had just been laughing about, or from what Max was prompting. He couldn't tell.

        “So what?” She hissed.

        “So why’ve you been watching Paul?”

        “I watch everyone.” She replied quickly. There’s a silence immediately after she realizes her mistake. Max started snickering evilly and the woman’s hand slides up to cover her eyes.

        “You can’t deny it. I can see you smiling!”

        “You should only be seeing the road.”

        “Amyyyyy-” He begins to whine. The noise immediately makes the woman stiffen.

        “Look.” Max grins when the redhead breaks. She peeks through her fingers and puffs out her cheeks in irritation. It was a rare expression. “He’s nothing physically interesting. Well, of course he is as oddly muscular just as the other men in La Push. You have noticed that, right? I mean I noticed that he is shorter than the most of them but he is...thicker. Which by the way, means that he's the oddity of the oddity. What do they all do all day that leads to that kind of build? It’s not just in their arms, chest, or legs, it’s spread all over. I’ve been trying to think of ways that they can grow such a build with different activities within the limited area of La Push but I’m unable to think of anything that would suffice. And we have been practically living with all of them for weeks and yet I have never seen one of them work out. And it’s also not like he has any particular beauty to him. Of course I’m not saying he doesn’t have an excellent appearance. But it was nothing that particularly jumped out at me. Nothing like some of the people who traveled through Henderson, you know the ones I’m mentioning, right? The ones Percy would stop in the middle of the street just for a polaroid of them so he could add them to his photo book? Of course I guess there is something to Paul that's created some kind of… fascination. I thought it could be that he was first introduced to me as the “table breaker” but now it’s more than that. I think it’s more than that? I’m not really sure myself because it has only been two weeks and I’ve only started to find my eyes on him more the last couple of days. Plus the only time we spoke before tonight was him belittling me and-”

        “So why do you like him?”

        “Exactly! Why do I-” Amy stops. Like a video freezing up. Dark hazel eyes snap to Max, who’s begun to shake as he swallowed his laughing. He took one look at Amara and he burst with loud, gut trembling laughter that shook him and the truck. “Stop the car, I want to hit you.”

        “I’m sorry I’m sorry!”

        “Seriously, pull over.”

        “Amy- Amara you’re making that scary face again.”

        “Maximus.”

        “Ow! Ouch Am- ow! Amy stop! I’m sorry!”


	7. Littlesea Isn't Little

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's just say... This Monday felt like a Friday?  
> To be honest I swore I had posted the 7th chapter. Finished the 8th, went to post it, and realized I hadn't.  
> So, this friday I'll post the 8th.  
> Woops

        He hated him.

        At least, that's what he kept telling himself anyway. He hoped that if he repeated it, like some kind of mantra, it'd actually become true. Collin hoped that the more he grew to know the newcomer, the more he'd start to dislike him. As if he'd find out some fact that would turn him away so hard that even the imprinting would break.

        Collin hated him.

        At least, that's what he wanted the others to believe. Every time Paul and him would talk, Collin would vent about how much the guy bothered him. Collin and Paul had suddenly grown closer in the past handful of weeks, even if beforehand they rarely spoke outside of the pack. Collin kept calling it partners in war, Paul labeled it him helping the crybaby. Collin had ignored that comment.

        Paul wasn't the best guy to talk to, they both knew that. Jacob, who had gone through the craziest imprinting, Sam, who had imprinted in one of the most traditional ways, or Jared, who imprinted in the most High-school drama kind of ways, were the ones he should've gone to. However, Collin had gone to Paul first. And he was the one to realize and put two and two together. To make sure that didn't happen again, Collin began listening to Paul's half-hearted advice and hid the fact that he had imprinted.

        He struggled with that. Specially since the nephew began to visit Emily almost every single day. He and the ginger would show up, sometimes having eaten breakfast already, most of the time not, and stay until late hours into the day. At first he didn't care. He was positive that he could act normal.

        Collin quickly realized that that was a pipe dream. As soon as Maximus Young walked into Emily's front door, he lost himself. He'd smile so wide his cheeks hurt and he couldn't help but fall into conversation with the older male. By the end of it he'd be pissed with himself and Paul would be laughing at him.

        "You're not any better!" Collin retaliated once, sending a glare down to Paul. He still wasn't too used to his sudden growth spurt that made him taller than the other. Paul never seemed too happy about it either.

        "Yeah, well, you're the one trying to hide it." He said, rolling his eyes. "Everyone knows I'm fucked already so."

        "Im fucked too…" Collin all but whined, throwing arms over his face as he fell back onto the couch. Currently, the duo were at Paul's place. Another thing that would've never taken place a couple of weeks before.

        "You're only fucked because you keep thinking that way." The man stood, then, putting the cigarette that had been hanging on his lips out in an over used ashtray. "Honestly I don't give a flying fuck if you want to keep being phobic of your own imprint before even asking if he swings that way. But Collin," His face contorts. It's on the fence of a glare but there's a small twist of worry. "If you keep avoiding pack duties with excuses because you don't want them to read your thoughts they're going to get suspicious. Eventually? Mad. You know how Sam was when Jake tried to stop."

        Paul was right. Something that was becoming more and more common the longer Collin hung around him.

        Sam would be upset. It was one thing deciding to stop shifting so that a pack member could move on with their lives and another when they had no clue what they wanted to do. Sam had already begun to take notice of Collin's absence.

        At first, he couldn't make it to his night patrol shifts because his mother, one of the many parents who were clueless about the pack, was mad at him because she found out he was sneaking out of the house. Which was a clear lie. Mrs. Littlesea was currently suffering from a flu and was knocking herself out every night with cold medicine. She wouldn't know if Collin shifted in their very house, right in front of her, with how sick she was. Embry hadn't liked that excuse much, since he still made every patrol, being grounded almost every other day because of it.

        After that he used the amount of school work to get out of his duty. That one only worked twice since he shared classes with Brady and recently his supposed "best friend" was doing everything in his power to screw him over. He needed to sort that out sometime very soon.

        Collin's had to rely on Paul to get him out of the latest patrols. Sometimes it was "remembered" promises where Collin had to go with Paul back to his place, or where Paul's dad suddenly insisted on Collin visiting.

        The only reason Sam wasn't immediately upset after Collin bailed the first time, let alone the many times afterward, was because after the Cullen's left on their vacation, the smell of leeches had disappeared. Plus, because of a fight between Bella and Jacob, the Black pack had stayed in La Push, giving the shifters more than enough in numbers to let one of them skip out once in awhile.

        But Paul was right. Collin could feel Sam's heated looks whenever he was at the older male's house. Which recently had been just about every day.

        Collin hated Max.

        Maximus Young was twenty-four. Seven years older than Collin. His parents were ten years apart, and they had nothing like imprinting tying them together, so seven years wasn't much. To Collin. But to Max?

        Scratch that last thought.

        Collin wanted to focus on first befriending the guy. He was having enough trouble with that, he didn't want to try to plan for a future he wasn't even sure he'd ever have.

        Collin hated Maximus.

        The little Littlesea spent most of his time watching Max over the couple of weeks. He had never been fearful of making friends before, it was easy for him. Easier for him compared to Brady, who used to rely on Collin to get him human interaction outside of the pack. In fact Collin was kind of proud that he didn't have any of the usual anxiety students seemed to be suffering more and more from the older they got. Even the pack complimented him for his outgoing nature. Max seemed to be about the same kind of way. Yet, it was growing harder and harder for Collin to approach him.

        Which….led to some of the awkwardest moments of Collin's life.

        "Come oooon Amara!" Jared was wallowing across the quiet ginger, blocking the view of her novel with his face to grab her attention. She gave a heavy blink down at the whining man before sighing and slowly shutting her book. The man jumped up, letting rip an excited sound of achievement before he sprinted out the back door, knocking shoulder with Jacob. The taller male glanced over his shoulder before shutting the door and raising a brow Amy's way.

        "He wants to play." She stated, as if talking about her pup Canis needing attention. However, her lips jumped at the corner as she slipped out the door. Knowing the dark look meant sudden doom for Jared. The guy would never get over the fact that Amy was one of the few humans that could be somewhat on par with him. Of course, his strength was drastically dialed down, but even that level usually left the other humans gasping.

        "She's encouraging him." Collin mumbles grumpily. The boy was situated at Emily's new dinner table. Maximus and Amara had personally made it and brought it over as a gift for Emily and Sam. Max had said it was a late wedding present.

        The front door swings open and work boots stamp about before hopping inside. Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

        "I'm back Amy!" Max dips his head into view around the wall corner. However, his caramel eyes don't find the ginger on the couch where he had left her, and instead found a waving Jacob and big eyed Collin. He nodded towards both of them. "Where did Amy disappear off to?"

        "Went to shut Jared up." Jacob said, throwing a shoulder back to gesture outside. Through the back windows they could spot Amy and Jared grappling at each other, rolling around in the grass and mud. For a second Jared throws the women off and she's airborne. Then she hits the ground, rolls, and takes Jared down by pile driving into his knees. Jake whistles at the wild scene.

        "One of them is going to eventually get hurt." Max says, narrowing his eyes a bit. It's a split second but Collin catches it. It's a rare thing that passes over the man's face. In fact, there were many looks that Collin had begun to search for that Maximus would only show once in a blue moon. Or, well, only to Amara or Emily. Once or twice towards Sam when the two men had their daily "secret talks".

        Maximus smiles largely, finding Collin's eyes on him.

        "How're you doing today, Collin? I didn't see you at breakfast." The boy's lips part and then purse together until they turn white. He hadn't expected Max to notice he was gone-

        Wait why wouldn't he notice? Collin was always there.

        "Couldn't get a ride." He forces out.

        "Oh, right. I guess you can't drive yet."

        The boy can't describe the gross feeling curling up in the chest but he doesn't like it.

        "I can!" Collin snaps, too heatedly. He didn't understand why it bothered him so much, but Max's ton pissed him off.

        "Oh." Max hums. "Your permit?"

        "No, I have my license! I'm not a kid!" Collin hisses, standing abruptly. Jacob looked at the scene with big eyes unsure what was going on or if he should step in.

        "Really?" Max asks with genuine surprise. Collin's fist curls. "But you're only sevente-"

        "That's only seven years younger than you!" He shouts, which immediately queues for Jacob to slide between the two. He claps a big hand onto Collin's back.

        "I think it's time for you to go check on Jared." The trembling boy gives a jerky nod before stiffly walking out back. Max frowns openly as soon as the boy has left and turns a weary look to Jacob.

        "I...made him mad." Jake gives him a "well duh" look.

        "What did you expect?"

        "I don't know! I just didn't know. I mean, I didn't start driving until I was in college." His frown sinks further. "Is Collin bothered by his age?"

        "Why do you ask?"

        "Well… Every time something age related is brought up he always says 'I'm only seven years younger'." Jacob gave a shrug but, instead of staying silent, leaned up against the dinner table.

        "Collin...Doesn't like being the youngest out of all of us. I guess he just notices there are a lot of things he can't do because he's younger." The man then tilts his head in thought. He seemed like he was truly thinking over his next couple of words. "He also… Really, uhm, wants to be your friend." The words look sour and wrong coming from Jacob's lips. As if he wasn't accurately saying and describing exactly what he was thinking. "He's usually pretty good with talking to people but maybe the age thing is bothering him?"

        "Oh." Max looks awkward then, silently shifting his feet. Then he nervously chuckles. "I don't...Really know how to fix that."

        "Fix what?"

        "My age." He then waves his hands around, as if trying to brush away his bad joke. "Amara's way better at this than me."

        "Better at what?" Jacob draws out, looking even more confused. Max raises a brow and then sighs, looking at the back windows to spot the said ginger, Jared, and Collin.

        "Amy's good at...understanding people. Knowing a problems source, and fixing it, before it turns into one. It's kind of freaky, you know?" He chuckles. "It's like she can read minds or something." Jacob cringes at that comment.

        "That does sound freaky. But Amy's probably practised that, you know? Or she's just naturally empathetic. Who says you can't do that?"

        "Well…" Max jostles his shoulders. "There's only three people I can actually read. I'm oblivious to everyone else. It's really sad how bad I am at sensing situations."

        "It can't be-"

        "Literally look at what happened with Collin just now. I couldn't even tell why he was getting mad."

        Jacob deadpans and then heavily nods.

        "Okay. You suck. I don't really know what to say to help you man. Do you want to be friends with Collin?" Max shrugs and then nods.

        "I have nothing against him."

        "Then just try talking to him more I guess."

        Collin, annoyingly, had been able to hear the entire conversation from the back yard, where he mediated the unbridled fighting match between Jared and Amara. Hell, Collin was sure all pack members in the area could hear Jacob and Max talking. He was so distracted about how stupid they both were that he hadn't noticed Jared grabbing Amy's arms and, once again, throwing her over his shoulders and --

        (Jared's favorite thing to do was throw Amy up into the air. Mostly because Sam got real pissed about it, since Jared used more of his shifter strength to get the altitude he wanted for the ginger. He'd throw her so high up that if he didn't catch her she'd probably get immensely hurt. However, Amy never protested and usually egged him on, when they horsed around, until he threw her at least once.)

        -- Amara's packed-tight body flew directly into Collin.

        When she rolled off of him it revealed that the boy had a broken nose and a black eye. Most likely from the woman's shoulder or elbow. Making the day even worse, Amy had picked him up, like a bride, and carried him inside to Max, of all people.

        So Collin had to sit on the musty old couch, raw meat stuck to his face, being held by a snickering Jared, with Maximus Young kneeling in front of him. The man was cleaning up his bloody nose and he looked so focused that Collin was having a hard time finding a place for his eyes to rest. Amy was behind Max, in Collin's view, looking on with a rare, but heavy, frown on her lips. She looked upset with herself. Good. His face hurt.

        Max's knuckles, multiple times, brushed against his lips. His fingers would feel feather soft when they brushed Collin's hair back from the forming bruises and cuts. Multiple times he would smile warmly, as if reassuring Collin he was fine.

        Collin was just dandy.

        Peachy, in fact.

        Collin Littlesea hated Maximus Young.


	8. Meeting Family Nostalgia

        “So… Why is Jacob acting like an excited dog?” Amy’s comment is reprimanded by a bump from Sam’s knuckles on the back of her head. He had learned it from Max, and the woman was so used to it she didn’t even bat an eye.

        Moving before Amara White and Sam Uley was Jacob Black. Pacing in front of the front door of the Uley residence, he'd stop once in awhile to stare out of the windows before starting up again. The usual group was at the house, which wasn't a surprise, however the quiet hush that laid in the air was.

        Amy had noticed this as soon as she and Max walked into the home.

        Paul, Embry, Jared, Seth, Brady, and Collin sat at the newly added dinner table, quietly talking amongst each other, their eyes sometimes finding Jacob. It looked like a meeting of some sort, but when Amy had listened in, it had been them teasing Jake. Emily and Maximus were somewhere in the kitchen. The aunt had dragged her nephew away to help make some food because, apparently, they were supposed to go over to a friends house later that night. However, when Emily said “friends house”, Amy saw the smallest grimace and she noticed many of the people in the room had tensed. She was sure Maximus had seen it too, because he immediately hurried to go help Emily in the kitchen. Most likely to ask questions. Which was what Amy was set out to do as well.

        “No it was an honest question.” Amara tries again, eyes flitting up to Sam's glowing face. The afternoon sun was lighting up most of the house, casting a soft orange and red glow on everyone. Amy couldn't quite place where the time of day had gone, since Max and her had come early just as always. She didn't get time to muse though, as Sam sighed and answered her earlier inquiry.

        “Jacob is very close to the Cullen’s.”

        “Cullens?” Amy repeats.

        “Cullen. They're an… Old family that lives farther out in Forks. We've known them since they first moved here.” Sam smirked at his words, while Amara just stared and studied his odd quirks.

        “Is that who you're visiting?” Amy asks, aware of the way the man tensed and slid her an odd look. “What?”

        “Because Max is Emily’s relative, he's invited to come with us.” Then, after a beat, “You too.”

        “But I'm not family-”

        There's a loud clatter as glass shatters.

        Amy simply glances towards the noise while both Sam and Collin rush to the kitchen. The ginger blinks slowly before giving her attention back to Jacob, who had actually registered the noise through his pacing haze and was now focused on the room. Feeling eyes, his meets Amy’s.

        He nods in greeting, as if just realizing the woman was in the house. The look he carries makes it obvious he probably hadn’t. He wasn’t there in the morning like usual, and hadn’t arrived until it was already late afternoon. By the clock over the door, only three hours ago. As soon as he arrived he’d pulled Sam to the side and the two had taken up those three hours talking in one of the extra rooms. It was only minutes ago that Jacob stormed out to pace in front of the larger windows.

        “Max here?” The large man asks, slowly, unsurly, eyes flickering over Amy’s head to see if he could answer the question for himself.

        “Breaking plates in the Kitchen.” She replied smoothly. It takes a second for Jacob to hear the humor in her tone, but he doesn’t smile or laugh -- doesn’t react like he usually would when seeing Amy’s rare, purer, personality.

        “Hmm.” He grunts instead. His warm eyes flicker to the sky, which was quickly growing dark. He hesitates, debating something that has his head move back and forth between the outside and Amy. He makes up his mind by saying, “Max would be upset if he had heard that.”

        “It’s true.” Amy is leveled with a pout. She hadn’t expected Jacob to be listening to her and Sam. Let alone being able to actually process what he did hear since he was so intent on zoning out while angrily wearing tracks into the floor. “It’s true.”

        “Not to him.” Jacob tiredly says, brows furrowing for a split second before he turns away from the woman. If it hadn’t been obvious before, the fact that there was something bothering Jacob, it was now. His responses were short, forced, and seemed to take all of his energy even with just a couple of words. Amara might’ve thought he was just in a mood, but now was positive it was stemming from the Cullen family. 

        A hand rests itself on Amy’s shoulder.

        “Don’t bother with him, Ames, he’s just pouting.” Jared chuckles when Jacob obviously ignores his prod. “There’s a seat at the table for you.” It should’ve been a question, but was acted on as a statement, as Jared spun her around to drag her away.

        The boys looked up at her at her arrival. Other than the fact that the conversation they were just having died, Amy also noted that Leah had joined them. She was nestled between her brother and Embry, looking bored. However, noticing the ginger, she straightened up.

        Jared practically throws himself into one of the three empty chairs, one of the others ones probably having been abandoned by Collin, who had yet to return from the kitchen. Before she can choose, there’s a tug at her sweater and she obediently sits.

        “Don’t just stand around.” Paul snaps, crossing his arms. “We were talking before Jared felt the need to include you.” Jared and Seth cringe noticeably.

        “Paul-” Embry begins on Amara’s behalf, looking awashed with slight horror at the mans rudeness.

        “Sorry,” She says with a nod of hello to Paul, who just grunts when he gets no rise from the woman, “What were you all talking about?”

        There’s a silent pause as a couple of heads switch from Paul to Amy to Paul again.

        “The Cullen’s.” Leah says, deciding that she wanted to move on. She sits up fully now, sneer on her lips as she snaps her elbows onto the table. “And how we’re being forced to go into their terri- home.”

        “Are they just a friend of Jacob’s, then?”

        “Well, no,” Seth answers slowly. “I like them!”

        “You like everyone.” Jared dead pans, rolling his eyes at the sweetly smiling boy. “You don’t have a mean bone in your body. You couldn’t even hate a fly!”

        “Why would I have anything against a fly?” His oblivious question get him a rap of knuckles against the back of his head from Leah, who scowls down at her brother. “What?”

        “Not the point.” Quil says, focusing back onto Amy. “It’s not like we hate the Cullen’s. Actually, these past few years have been the closest our families have ever been before. Or, well, by our family I mean-” He starts to explain, but Amara quickly shakes her head to show that she understood what he meant. “Jacob definitely is the closest to them-”

        “To two of them, at least.” Jared comments snarkily.

        “- But being at odds end with them for so long…” Quil winces.

        “And then they split town without telling Jacob.” Paul suddenly adds, fire in his voice. Embry nudges the man, but gives up when he’s shot a glare.

        “Split town?” Amara inquires. “Did they go on vacation? Since they’re back now...”

        “More or less.” Seth mumbles.

        “Wherever they went, it’s not an excuse!” Leah erupts. Her eyes dart all around the table and Amy realizes that the group was now picking up the conversation where they had dropped it back when she’d joined the table. “They just left.”

        Her hiss causes eyes to dart over to Jacob, who was now on the other side of the windows, sitting on the porch with his head back against the glass.

        “They can’t plan their lives around him.” Seth says, but not without a sullen drag to his words. He didn’t seem like he wanted to stand up for the Cullen’s. It was just that he was used to taking the level headed and empathetic path in comparison to his sister. “It had to be important if they all went. Specially leaving their uh, house, without anyone to look after it.” A few heads nod, but a couple stay down.

        “Still.” Jared said, one of the ones who hadn’t nodded. “They have to tell Jacob where they’re going, if no one else. Just taking his sou- girlfriend away like that without a single word is just asking for trouble. You don’t know how it feels, Seth, but being apart for that long… It physically starts wearing down on both of them.”

        The conversation dies with Jared’s words. No one appears to want to argue with him, or agree, but they all conclude that it’s the end of it. Unanimously they relax their tense postures and settle more comfortably in their chairs.

        The quartet come scattering from the Kitchen, then. Sam and Emily have multiple tubs of raw food piled in their arms. They look like baths of blood, to Amy, who feels her stomach churn. She assumes raw meat must be floating in it, somewhere. Max comes out too, but empty handed and with a fussing Collin on his heal.

        “Just let me wrap it!” Collin huffily insisted, trying to snatch up Max’s hand. The ravenette quickly threw it out of the boys reach with a snarky grin.

        “It’s just a small cut! It’s already stopped bleeding.” He would’ve presented the said wound, to prove himself right, but he didn’t risk letting Collin get his hands on it. “You all having a pow-wow?” Completely ignoring the kid, who was pulling violently at Man’s bicep to try and get the man to lower his arm, to find Amy and notice her at the cramped table.

        “Something like that.” Amara said, leaning back in her chair. She freezes when she feels the bare arm against her neck and finches away. At some point Paul had rested his arm on the back of her chair, unbeknownst to her.

        Sam shifts his load in his hands so he can peer at the group sitting.

        “We’re going to put these in the coolers in the back of the truck. You guys should get ready.” With that he followed the already moving Emily outside. Amy’s eyes trailed after them, watching them confront Jacob outside and then until they all three moved to the couples’ car.

        “At least put a bandaid on it.” Collin said, breaking the pause of silence as he scowled at Max. Like a child, the older man groaned and let out a whine as he let the kid drag him towards the bathroom to retrieve said bandage.

        “Let’s get this shit-fest over with.” Leah grumbled, rising in sync with her brother. He immediately rushed out to tail Jacob.

        “It probably won’t be too bad.” Embry said, trying to sound optimistic since Seth, the usual barer of that roll, was already outside.

        “Probably?” She ground out.

        “He’s got a point. We have Amy and Max with us tonight too.” Jared pointed out, poking the ginger’s freckled cheek. “They couldn’t do anything even if they wanted to.”

        “Or… They could do even more damage.” Quil says, eyes flickering up to Paul before he decides to spin on his heel and quickly leave for his car.

        “You all are making the Cullens out to sound somewhat dangerous.” Amy remarked, sliding her chair in. The fleeing members didn’t even glance back at her.

        “They’re not.” Paul spoke up, being the only one to wait on her slow movements. He stuffed his hands in his jean pockets. “They won’t be.” He corrected after a thought. “But I guess it’d be good to have you think of them like they are.” With a cool smirk he nudged his knuckles between Amy’s shoulder blades, goading her to fall into step with him as they finally exited the house.

 

 

 

        The house was beautiful. In a modern cut-out sort of fashion. It seemed a bit out of place, nestled in the middle of the thick woods on the edge of Forks. While Amy and the tribe members lived in hand made cabins and the townspeople of Forks in small one story homes of all shapes and sizes, the Cullen’s lived in a two -- perhaps three -- story house that could be cut out from any top-notch fashionable home magazine. It was mostly windows, which made it appear more like a vacation home. Amy wondered if they only lived in it a couple months of the year, the other days renting it out to excited tourists who wanted a break from city life.

        It was both picturesque and foreboding. Something about it immediately set off Amara’s nerves. As soon as Blueberry came cruising up on the structure, right behind the Uley’s who had already parked in the driveway, she felt a shiver go down her spine. Something was off, if the earlier discussion with the rest of the family hadn't already given Amy that feeling.

        The front door opens just as Blueberry parks. Maximus hurries to scramble out of his truck so he can go to his Aunt’s side, but Amy stalls.

        The man in the doorway, who elegantly makes his way across the low polished porch towards Sam, was just like his home. Both picturesque and foreboding. Though his appearance, lit by the lights strung around the house since it had fallen night sometime during the drive, was breathtaking as it was… too much.

        The pale man took up Sam’s tanned appendage and they talked like old friends. Anyone would’ve been fooled into thinking that they were simply that. However, the entire group stared at the blonde’s hand as he took up Sam’s, and then Emily’s and eventually Max’s, as if they didn’t trust where it would move next.

        Knuckles on the car window jerk Amy back to reality. Paul raises an eyebrow, questioning her stillness, before he takes it upon himself to open the door.

        “You coming or what?” He groughly asks. “Apparently they made dinner.” The way he speaks makes it sound as if it’s a surprise that the hosts would make their guests dinner at such a late hour. She can’t tell if they were just bad hosts, or if Paul didn’t expect much from them. He seemed to dislike the Cullen’s as much as Leah had voiced.

        Paul all but drags Amara to where everyone had gathered outside. Instead of just the blond host, there now was a woman - who was also blonde- who Amy assumed was the man’s wife. Almost immediately her silvery eyes latched onto Amy.

        “And this must be Amara.” Her velvety voice sang, warm and gentle. Sam glanced over his shoulder before stepping to the side to let Paul and Amy to the front. Maximus immediately looped an arm around the girls waist, pulling her comfortably into his side. The familiar feeling pushes against her uncertainty.

        “It’s a pleasure to meet two more Young’s.” The pale man said, voice just as sweet and velvety as his wife’s. He held out a hand that Amy immediately took. “I’m Carlisle and this is my wife, Esme.”

        “I’m not a Young, actually.” She responded immediately, then muttered a gentle, ‘nice to meet you’, when she realized her rudeness.

        “Oh, excuse me.” The man said, lips curing into a perfect smile. “I just assumed…” He trailed off, unable to hide the way his eyes flickered between the ginger and Max. “That‘s my own fault.”

        “She might not be a Young in name, but she’s still a part of the family.” Emily boldly stated, winking at Amy when she looked her way.

        “Sam said you both just arrived, but I hope you’ve settled well?” Amy nodded, going quiet so Maximus could answer in his overly excited tone as he usually did with strangers.

        “I’ve forgotten how much I loved this place! Small towns, big open spaces, tons of green. Beats the desert any day.” He jostled Amy, getting a small ‘yes’ out of her to prove his point. The pale couple laughed.

        There’s the sound of something shattering from inside the house and everyone stiffens.

        “Let’s move inside, shall we?” Carlisle calmly asks while Esme sighs. “Since Jacob’s already said his hello’s first.” Amy only then realizes that the only person missing was Jacob. Sam sighs roughly, shaking his head, before gesturing to the couple to lead the way inside.

        Seth and Collin are quick to shoot forward, bounding into the open front doors of the Cullen’s home. Carlisle was also just on their heels, but walking with long strides instead of the fervent scrambling of the other two. Then, as if there was a signal, the rest of the tribe moved, all at once, towards the house led by Sam.

        The inside seemed to rile Amara up more, something Max immediately noticed. He pressed a broad hand to her ribs, pulling her tightly to the side of his body, refusing to let her go. Paul cast a glance over his shoulder at the ginger, having taken station in the spot as soon as their feet had touched the porch.

        “What’s wrong with you?” He asked, the calmness in his usually fired up voice acting like a wet blanket dousing Amara’s twitching heart. He almost turned to her, but padding feet stopped him and his head jerked forward.

        “Finally.” The female voice bit out, followed immediately by a brassy chuckle. The strawberry blonde crossed her thin arms tightly to her chest, eyes peering at the group over her nose. There was an air of ferocious power about her. Amy found herself comparing it to the air Leah gave off. The large, muscular man at her side gave a big, almost childish, grin as he comically waved at the lot.

        “Rosalie,” Esme coo’d, sweet but obviously warning. Then she wiggled her fingers at the man’s direction, but peered over at Paul. “Could you and Emmett go get the dinner that Emily brought?”

        “Yeah, sure Esme.” Emmett said, already striding across the room. However, Paul didn’t move.

        “Paul.” Sam said, voicing a command, but Paul still didn’t move.

        “I’ll do it.” Brady snapped. It was the first thing Amara, or anyone, had heard from the younger boy all day. He looked pissed, to say the least, sending a venomous scowl towards Paul, who didn’t even blink. The two guys went out the front door while Esme gestured for the rest to follow her.

        “Ooo they’re coming!” Another female voice squeaked out, out of view. “Since the others are busy upstairs…” As the group rounded a corner, coming upon a large living room space, a small figure jumped into view. She darted around all of the men to plant her feet just in front of Amy’s. The ginger reeled back as a disgruntled noise bubbled out from her throat. The only reason she hadn’t fallen backwards was because of Max’s arm around her. The only reason why the small woman hadn’t gotten any closer was because of Paul’s hand planted on her stomach, holding her back.

        “Alice…” A southern voice all but whined. “You’re going to scare the gal.” However the curly haired man was ignored so that Amy could peer into the other woman’s rich hazel, orange swirling eyes.

        “Back off.” Paul snapped, edging in front of Amy so he could push more at Alice. The woman giggled, actually giggled, and took a silent step back. Paul seemed intent with scowling and standing between the two, but finally stepped to the side.

        “Hello!” Alice chirped, immediately back in Amy’s face. Unmoved by Paul’s growl, she snatched up the freckle splattered hands of the ginger. “It’s so nice to finally meet you!”

        Amy opens her mouth but her mind reals and she shuts it with a snap. The extroverted and beautiful Cullen was too much for the observer and she recoiled. Max chuckled while Alice deflated at Amy’s obvious refusal to speak.

        “I didn’t realize Emily was talking so much about us.” Maximus said, instead, slyly edging a step in front of the ginger. “I’m glad you guys talked while you all were gone.” The low blow is evident in his tone, even though he was smiling brightly. Amara doesn’t know why he makes the small Cullen’s smile falter, and notes to ask Maximus what he and his Aunt had been discussing while in the kitchen.

        Leah snorts, shaking her head ruthfully before she left the room to, most likely, find Seth.

        “I’m Alice,” The Cullen says, and then gestures to the curly, dimpled blond man over her shoulder, who was standing in the doorway. “And that’s Jasper! You’re Emily’s nephew, right?”

        “Grew up like her brother.” Maximus admitted. The information was given as more of a warning, rather than a tid bit. Amy realizes she wasn’t the only one who was unsettled by the home of the Cullen’s. However, she deduces that Max was set off by whatever Emily and him had discussed in the kitchen earlier that day.

        “And you, Amy?” The ginger blinks, tilting her head down to Alice.

        “I only met everyone a month ago.” Amy breathes, her voice quiet. Embry and Quil nervously exchanged looks at her voice, probably also being upset by the way Amy was acting. The Quileute’s had grown so accustomed to Amara’s quick retorts and confident observations that her sudden shelled personality reappearing unsettled them.

        And it became even worse.

        Amy hears Jacob before she sees him. He yells something upstairs before his bounding footsteps take him down the stairs and into the living room. At first it’s just him, red faced, charging for the front door; then there’s a girl on his heels. She’s silent and graceful as she chases after, immediately following the huffing man outside.

        “And that’s Renesmee!” Alice chirps happily.

        Seth, Leah, and Collin, along with a couple that were practically intertwined at the hip, trudged down the stairs next.

        Collin quickly scans the room, finding Max and Amy hip to hip before he sees Paul and makes his way over. Seth meet’s Sam eyes, shakes his head, and then follows Leah to a wall on the side.

        “Hello.” The male half of the couple says, bowing his head for a second. The woman on his side stares intently at the two new people before giving a small smile and her own form of greeting.

        She was definitely beautiful. Then again, all of the women Amara had seen so far in the Cullen home had an almost unnatural beauty to them. The woman nervously tucked her auburn hair behind one of her ears. She had appeared to be confident when she walked, but her twitches and falling eyes spoke differently. There was a definite disconnect between her actions and her thoughts, it seemed. The man on her arm was no better. He appeared to be more of an observer, like Amara, as his eyes trailed over every single person before he finally looked to the woman next to him to feed her some form of reassurance.

        “I’m Max Young,” Maximus suddenly says, rubbing patterns with his thumb on Amara. “And this’s Amy White.”

        The couple crossed the room to take up Max’s hand and introduce themselves as Bella and Edward. Amy, finding her manners, also respectively shook their hands.

        “Sorry about that...uh, episode.” Bella said softly, eyes flickering to the outside where Jacob and Renesmee had disappeared. “My daughter didn’t explain we were going on vacation.”

        “Daughter?” Amy blurts, her inquiring mind overriding her usual nerves. “That was your daughter?” Bella smiled beautifully and nodded, obviously proud, misjudging Amy’s sparkling eyes as compliment rather than confusion.

        It was almost impossible for that girl to be Bella’s daughter. The age difference appeared to be too great. Bella looked young, unbelievably young. As in younger than Amy by a year or two. Which, was fine, if her daughter was a baby. But Renesmee also looked a year or two younger than Amy. The ginger could’ve been wrong, in judging Bella’s age, but she’s never guesstimated so poorly before in her entire life, and imagining the ethereal woman before her any older unnerved her.

        “A lovers spat?” Max teased, jostling Amy as if to physically shake her from her thoughts.

        “Something like that.” Bella said, sighing. Edward gently hugged his wife to his side.

        It was then that Brady and Emmett returned with multiple tubs of red. Brady immediately went towards the room where Esme left to, ignoring Collin’s steady stare. Emmett was a bit slower, turning to Amara to show off how he could lift the multiple sloshing tubawares. The joke went unnoticed as Rosalie was quick to yell at the man to hurry it up.

        “No fun”, he’d whine.

        Dinner was shortly after that.

        In comparison to the meals she had at Sam’s, this was the first time she was reminded of the dinner’s she had back home with her own family: quiet, seperated, and heavy with some unspoken rule.

        The Cullen’s, though they had a large dinner table that they invited their guests to use, they themselves didn’t favor it. They split off in clusters to eat, to Carlisle’s annoyance, which he gently voiced with humor, rather than saying his thoughts. The Quileute’s made no move to stop them or complain. In the end the only ones to use the dinner table were Sam, Emily, Carlisle and Esme. Everyone else had fled to the living room or other rooms Amy had yet to see.

        The guys stayed close to Amy though, as if sensing how unsettled she was by the uncomfortable silence the Cullen’s had left. That, or the dangerous way they had made the Cullen’s out to be back at the Uley house hadn’t been a joke.

        Without permission, and with their usual boyish grins, they shoved the expensive furniture into a crude circle so that the tribe could all sit and face each other. It felt like a pocket of warmth and familiarity amongst the odd coldness the other family excreted. None of them had even tried to get close to them while they ate. Not even Alice, who Amy had wrote off as the ballsy extrovert.

        The guys tried to strike up a normal conversation. It was mostly carried by Jared and Quil, as they brought up multiple stories from when they were in school to joke about. Usually they picked on the other guys to rope them into loud laughter but not once did they goad anyone. The downplayed and quiet conversation left both Amy and Max unnerved.

        Max nudged Amy, silently asking if she was okay. She'd yet to touch her plate of food he'd made for her earlier. She stared at it and then nodded her head.

        “I'm not hungry.” She quietly says to answer his raised brows. Then her eyes moved towards Alice and Jasper, who had shifted into the other half of the large living room to talk amongst themselves. She searched their faces.

        “You didn't eat anything while you were at the house though…” Embry said, leaning onto his knees to pull her eyes back into the circle. He frowned, glancing to the guys, before he smiled gently. “Do you want to go outside for a breather?” Amara, noticing the worried looks, quickly shook her head.

        “Oh for the love of-” Paul stood up abruptly, grabbing Amy’s upper arm to haul her up with him. Her full plate almost empties onto the floor. Thankfully Embry was able to grab it. “You don’t have to make us guess everything.” He seethed before stacking his empty plate under Amy’s with one hand. “Come on.” Paul quickly thumped his way over to the kitchen and Amara, without thinking, follows and is out of reach before Max can tug her back.

        The furniture was untouched. The walls unmarked. It looked like a snapshot of a home for sale in a catalog. There was no life in the wall papered walls or any sign of family decoration. Not a single photo. Not a single misplaced book or left out niknak. The only time she'd seen a house look so cold and empty, even though people lived inside of it, was during her childhood.

        Her stomach churns at the unsettling crawl of cold that moved down her spine. As soon as the unsettled feeling was named, named because it reminded the woman so much of her younger years with her parents, her heart gave a worrisome plummet.

        Amy watches Paul set their plate’s loudly onto the counter, not caring if he made any noise. He turns to Amara and his scowl from the living room deepens.

        “You look pale.” He says, making a step towards the ginger to set the back of his hand against her forehead.

        “I am pale.” The ginger comments dryly. Paul glares and flicks her forehead.

        “Why didn’t you eat anything?”

        “I can’t.” She says, but refuses to elaborate. She didn’t know how to explain that a simple memory was making her stomach too agitated to fill. Paul crosses his arms.

        “Then we can just go outside.” He says it, but still turns to take a napkin to wrap up one of the hot sandwiches in it, to take with them. He pauses. “... Do you want me to get Max?”

        Amy had talked a lot to Paul once they had found common ground between each other. She knew that he was prideful and found the way that Max was always with her incredibly annoying. He never said much about it -- other than the snarky retorts he quipped to get on the always smiling Max’s nerves -- but also tended to ignore Maximus’s existence all together. The fact Paul was asking if he should get her friend meant that he hadn’t thought farther than dragging her outside. He was unsure how to handle the ginger. That didn’t bother Amy. The fact that he was still trying to help her, even though he didn’t, couldn’t, understand why she was upset meant something incredible to her. Paul probably didn’t, couldn’t, understand that either.

        “Did you not like it?”

        Paul tenses, having been too preoccupied with studying Amy. He whips around, almost sighing in relief when he sees Bella in the doorway. However Amy can still see the bunched muscles in his back. Bella smiles and nods to Paul, but her eyes go back to Amy.

        Amy doesn't answer.

        “No. She didn't.” Paul snaps, pocketing his hands into his leather coat. Bella frowns, eyes wearily moving between them. She looks like she wants to say something, it's just on her lips, but her attention is absorbed by the way Paul moved in front of Amy.

        She gives up.

        “Come on.” Paul puts a hand to Amara’s back, quickly bringing her to the front door and away from Bella’s tense staring.

        Its windy outside. Freezing, actually. The night had brought the lower temperatures. To avoid the wind Paul didn’t move far from the front door and instead sidestepped as soon as he inched outside. By the time Amy shut the door behind her Paul had a lighter in his palm and a cigarette between his lips. It’s not until after he lights it and takes a slow drag that he speaks.

        “You’re acting weird tonight.” Amy watches him take another puff. “You’re usually weird,” He edits with a budding smirk. “But more than usual. Didn’t think you’d get so scared when we warned you about the Cullens.” He’s sent a mild glare but the ginger just ends up snorting and directing her attention to the ground. It’s the first time that night that he can see her physically relax.

        “When did you start smoking?” Amara asks.

        “Highschool. Helped me calm me down.” He replies.

        “And now?”

        “A habit.” He watches the smoke leave his mouth. “Do you smoke?”

        “No. Never tried it.”

        “Does it bother you?”

        Amy hesitates. “No. It’s morbidly calming.” Paul raises a brow at that comment and waits for her to answer. However, she fixes him with a stare and he sighs.

        “I’m not playing this question game with you.” He says, suddenly dropping his cigarette to stomp it out. “Just tell me what you’re thinking. Stop making me work for every single damn conversation.” As soon as his hot words rush out of him, his heavy breath looking like smoke with how the cold air made it visible, did he realize his mistake. He sucked in a quick breath, avoiding Amara’s bright eyes to try and calm himself down. The last thing he needed to do was get pissed at Amy, who wasn’t comfortable and obviously upset herself.

        He expected her to chew him out.

        Instead she sighed.

        “Smoking reminds me of my parents.”

        She doesn’t continue until Paul gives a verbal, “What?”

        “My mom smokes. Anytime me and my brother would get home and the house smelled like that, we would run to Max’s. Not to go to his house, because it wasn’t safe there either, but to take him so we could all go hide away until our parents calmed down.”

        “...How the hell is it calming then?”

        “I did say “morbidly”. I hate my mother and I associate the smell of cigarettes with all my bad memories at home but… I was only a kid. Kids will always miss their moms.”

        Amy could hear the padding of her moms bare feet slapping against the wood floors of their home. She could hear the huffing and puffing as she patrolled, looking for her children. Her mind was hazy, clouded from the multiple medications. She should’ve been apathetic, but the dosage had only amplified her anger. Amy could feel the woman's knuckles digging into her scalp. She could smell the overly potent scent of cigarettes and perfume. She even still tasted the iron of blood in her mouth.

        “The Cullen’s house reminds me of her too. If I was busy cleaning, she’d leave me alone most of the time. I cleaned it so there was nothing for her to throw, nothing for her to trip on, nothing for her to even remember she had kids. I cleaned by erasing the memorabilia of a family.”

        The man just stares. His white breath almost looked like steam from the cogs in his brain screeching to a halt. He doesn’t seem like he’s fully in control of his own hand as it slides into his pocket and pulls out another cigarette. However, he doesn’t pull it higher. Instead it dances, unlit, between his fingers.

        Maximus always joked that Amy had impossibly large lungs, speaking as if she was writing a verbal essay. It was something he always teased her about, picking it up from when they were little, when Percy would make the same quips. The duo always joked about getting Amara to write their college papers for them (later on sometimes she would). When he mentioned the joke to the Quillete’s, they had given him perplexed and unbelieving looks. Amy, the quiet woman who preferred to observe rather than participate, couldn't possibly say more than a sentence or two before self-combusting.

        She’s pretty sure this is the first time Paul had ever heard her talk anything sounding like personal emotion. She’s pretty sure it’s all been fatuous questions about Forks and the Reservation, or inquiring about the guys personal lives up until now.

        Amara’s positive the only reason she’s saying anything was because her past was pulling her head first backwards and making her emotions go haywire. Definitely not because Paul, in the short amount of time Amy lived on the reservation, had become someone she could trust.

        Paul shrugs off his jacket.

        “I haven't seen her since she divorced my father and left the state. I haven't seen a house like this since then, either.” Amara pauses to look at the coat being handed to her. She opens her mouth, most likely to protest, but notices the visible white breath escaping her and shrugs on the jacket.

        “Why didn't you tell me your folks were divorced like mine?” Paul asks quietly, looking completely unphased in his white undershirt as the freezing wind blew past him. “Did you live with your dad before you moved down here with Max?”

        Amy can hear the parallel he's trying to draw between their family lives. She can hear the connection he wants to make between them. The subject she'd been wanting to avoid, had never thought she'd bring up, was suddenly tumbling from her lips.

        “My father's dead.”

        Neither breathe for a moment.

        “My mother left when I was eleven and my dad died when I was fifteen.” Amy avoids Paul’s eyes. “My older brother was eighteen, then, so he legally became my guardian so I wouldn't be put into the foster system.” Even saying the word “brother” was painful. It had caught in her throat and clawed its way out.

        Paul didn't say a word, probably fearful that if he moved, or asked the wrong thing, it would snap Amy back into her shell. Amy was more fearful that she’d fall apart, so she kept quiet.

        They both did.

        Amara tried to concentrate on the tree line; tried to shake herself out of her own stupor. Her words echoed in her head, pounding away between her temples. She wasn’t supposed to be talking about her family. She wasn’t supposed to talk about her brother to these strangers or mention anything about herself. But here she was standing by a month old stranger, her shoulders heavy with his leather coat that smelled of childhood memories, her head pounding with voices of her past, and something akin to anxiety filled vomit on her tongue. And there he was, Paul, standing there leaned against the horror house of Amy’s nightmares, nonchalantly fingering his cigarette between his square fingers, eyes avoiding her as violently as she usually avoided talking. She’d give him credit of refusing to light another cigarette. But just like she thought earlier, Paul couldn’t understand what she was thinking; how much this singular moment was crushing her. He, like every other person the girl had ever met, wouldn’t understand the pain she felt at just mentioning her family, or the convuluating feeling of hate and love that mixed in to every adjective she used to describe her mom, dad, or brother. She didn’t even fully understand that part. But standing there, in his white undershirt, letting the silence simmer between them, felt like it was the closest thing to comfort he could offer. It was the closest thing to comfort that Amara could accept. She knew that Paul didn’t know that.

        A part of her hoped he did.

        The door pops open, bumping into Amy’s shoulder blades. She shuffles over to Paul, letting out whoever it was.

        “Is Amy done puking?” The man in the doorway laughs when the gingers fist collides with his chest. Max steps out into the cold, freezing up as a comical chill wracks through this body. “Jesus it's cold out here!” He rubs his arms and then pointedly looks at Paul, obviously gesturing for the wider male to head inside. However, Paul raises a thick brow in silent defiance.

        “What is it?” Amy asks instead, seeing how neither wanted to break their stalemate.

        “The families are holding some meeting or whatever to talk about the Cullen’s vacation. Emily not-so-discreetly told me to get lost by saying to check on you and to send Paul in.” Max snorted. “Jokes on her, I was going to get you and chase Paul away anyway.” Said man rolls his eyes.

        “If you hear screaming, don’t check on us.” Paul tosses his never lit cigarette to the ground and shoulders past Max. The two share a tense look before the door clicks shut and Maximus turns a triumphant grin onto his female friend.

        “I think he likes you.” Amy remarks, leaning fully against the house so she can look up to the star filled sky. “You might even have a chance.”

        “And steal him from you?” Max shakes his head, edging closer so that he can loop his arm around the womans. “You okay?”

        “No.” She replies simply, knowing it’d be useless to lie to Max. Not like she’d ever want to lie to the only person she had left.

        “Did tall, dark, and scary make it worse?” He then glances down to the worn, leather jacket. It appeared, at first look, to swallow Amy. However, it was only because the dark jacket contrasted so heavily with the woman’s pale skin. Because of her height and broad shoulders it seemed to fit her quite well.

        “I don’t know.” The ginger tiredly drops her head onto Max’s shoulder. “I told him about dad.” Then she added, “And about how bad mom was.” Max slowly nods.

        “Did you want to? To tell him. Was he pushing you to-”

        “He tried.” Is all Amy can say. Max finally tilts his head down, looking to Amy. She refuses to meet his eyes. “Tried to listen, that is. I probably just made him uncomfortable though.”

        “Being uncomfortable is good for the soul.” He jostles his shoulders, even when the girl sends him a look for knocking her head off of him. “Paul seems like the guy who gets too comfortable with girls too quickly.”

        “Are you saying Paul’s a player?”

        “I’m saying… Yeah.” Amy puffs out a cloud of white hot breath.

        “Did you think I didn't notice?” Max shakes his head at that, silently saying he meant no harm by stating the obvious. “I could tell by the way he walked.” Miffed, Amy stuffs her hands into the jackets pockets. She flinched when her left hand touches something warm.

        “Could you tell because of anything else, miss Sherlock? Did you smell hints of perfume or find a piece of long hair on his shoulder?” Max laughs, finding himself a little too funny. Amara was too busy pulling out the paper towel-wrapped hot sandwich from the pocket to point it out. It seemed both her and Paul had forgotten it.

        The sandwich was mostly meat and smelled like it was still partly raw. It hadn't seemed to phase any of the guys when she watched them scarf down a couple at a time. In fact she was pretty sure they preferred it that way. The one in her hand was slightly crushed and had definitely been chilled since Paul snagged it from inside.

        “I'm glad you're feeling hungry.” Max then pulls a face. “Though it's not the best thing to eat. I'm glad the Cullen’s at least made a salad as a side or I would've starved.” He notices Amy’s stillness and pulls on their intertwined arms. “Ames?”

        “How many times have you ever called me stupid?” The ginger suddenly blurts, eyes still locked with the mashed mess of a sandwich in her hand.

        “Uh… Never? Why?”

        “Because I think you should call me stupid. Right now. Max tell me I'm stupid.” She squeezes the sandwich too hard. At the same time a piece of meat slips out and hits the pavement, yelling breaks the quiet night from inside. Max and Amy both flinch and hold unconsciously tighter onto one another. It's as if the physical shake jogged Amy’s mind back into full drive because she quickly forgot the sandwich, and her train of thought, and focuses onto the woods in front of her.

        “Did Jacob ever come back?”

        “I haven't seen him or that girl. They weren't inside last time I saw.”

        “They should've come back by now. It's too dark.”

        Max grabs Amara before she registers her moving legs. He knows her thoughts before she does and he's quick to open the door and pull them both inside; the sandwich forgotten outside on the lawn.

        “Maximus what're you-”

        “No. Not happening. I'm not about to let you go crazy looking for Jacob and that girl-”

        “Renesmee.” She corrects automatically before she easily pulls herself out of Max’s hold. She darts a look around the house, as if prepared to be jumped by the hosts. When she hears the raised voices again she visibly relaxes.

        “Jacob was raised here, he practically grew up running around in the woods at night. Plus, there's only deer around here.” Max’s assertive confrontation quiets to something gentle. “I know it freaks you out… But Jacob is just having a spat with his girlfriend. It's not like its-”

        “Percy?”

        Max chokes on his words. Amara glares coldly up at her friend and then quickly turns on her heel. With clenched fists and bunched shoulders she storms towards the front of the house.

        “That's not what I was going to say!” Max insists, quick on Amy’s heels, but the woman was ignoring him.

        Almost immediately the duo stumble upon the “Family meeting”. Amy keeps walking, refusing to meet the staring eyes of the men she knows or the inquiring ones of the strangers. Max hesitates momentarily, giving a small nervous grin towards everyone, before he hurries on.

        “Didn't I tell you-” Paul begins when Max darts from view.

        “Amy’s leaving!” Max yells as a hopeful placation for why they were inside. Instead of fixing the problem Maximus hears two chairs scratch against the floor, one sounding like it was in response to the first.

        Amara is almost able to get out but she’s stopped but a surprised yelp from behind her. Instead of throwing open the front door, she freezes and looks back.

        Max was standing close to her, in reaching distance, but he'd also stopped in favor to grimace. Behind him, back to the main room, stood a glowering Paul and a determined looking Bella. There's a beat before Edward was by his wife's side and Embry had taken stance by Paul.

        “Calm down you guys,” he tried to begin, almost daring to push a hand to Paul to back him up. “It's really not the time to have a fight.”

        “He’s right.” Edward concedes, eyes flickering down to Bella. His brows knit in mild confusion, but he ignored the thought to look at Paul.

        “Then he should sit back down.” Bella says, part of it mostly hot breath.

        “Why should I?” Paul asks, obviously annoyed. Bella doesn't have a clear answer and instead just momentarily looks over to Amara, who’d pulled from the door to stand next to Max. “Maybe you should sit-”

        “Don't talk to her like that.” Edward quietly, but assertively, says. There's enough backing his words, a silent sort of threat that only the people in the “Family Meeting” understand, that makes the other look ready to stand if need be.

        “Just sit down Paul.” Sam snaps, reaching for the man's arm.

        “No! I told you I don't care about this talk before we even fucking got here!” Paul growls, stepping away from Embry, who looks suddenly so done with Paul’s mood swings.

        “If he wants to go chase after Amara I don't see what the big deal is.” Says Collin, who, though addressing everyone, looks directly at Bella. The woman pauses for a second to glance to the boy, and finally seems to be willing to back down. Her eyes flicker between Paul and Amy again and her fists curl.

        “If she wants to leave, let her leave.” Bella says slowly.

        “Who said I was fucking stopping her?” Paul angrily replies. He looks ready to say something more, but Amy steps forward.

        “Thank you for inviting me.” The ginger gives a small nod of her head towards Carlisle and Esme. “Sorry for interrupting.” She directs towards Sam and Emily. “But Max and I have a small dog at home that hates being alone. She needs at least one of us.”

        Carlisle stands, out of genteel, and smiles warmly.

        “I’m glad we could meet.”

        “Hopefully you and Max can come over again when there's less…” She glances to the two families still glaring at each other. “This. We'd love to have both of you over.”

        “Thank you.” Max looks at Amy funnily after hearing her hollow voice. “Goodbye.” Without another glance Amy turns on her heel. Max, a bit stunned, takes a moment to follow after.

        “Amy-”

        The door slams in his face. He stares at the doorknob as he hears bits of gravel from storming feet and then the slam of a car door. Soon he hears Blueberry start up and it's engine roaring as it peels out of the front.

        For a moment, there's quiet.

        Then Max turns around to be met with a seething Paul and all hell breaks loose.


	9. Wolf Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>      I wanted to thank everyone who has commented! I’ve read everyone, even if I haven’t replied. I’m pretty bad at replying… To nervous haha. But I’m glad so many of you have liked this so far! I’m also falling in love with this story and there is still so much more to write. Sorry for the short chapter, the longer chapters take me longer to write, but I procrastinate the shorter chapters so… Sorry? Lol
> 
>         Thanks again for the constructive criticism and the love!

        “I didn't even hit you that hard.” Paul grumbles, arms crossed and eyes avoiding the sitting man in front of him. Collin quickly hit his arm in Max’s place, who had his hands full icing his black eye.

        “At least you didn't make him bleed.” Jared piped in as he stepped into the living room with Quil. Quil rolled his eyes as he handed a new bag of ice to Max, exchanging it for the melted one he cradled against his face.

        “And that we were with Carlisle.” Quil sent Paul a glare. “You’re lucky you only bruised his ribs and didn't break them.”

        “That's because I wasn't trying to break them.” Paul replied hotly.

        “Then what were you trying to do? He's Claire’s older brother, Paul. He’s Amara’s best friend.” Quil all but hissed. Any fire still burning in Paul seemed to dim. He frowned and didn't reply, which was enough to make Quill believe he'd won. He looked to Colin.

        “What did Sam say?”

        “Nothing. He hasn't said anything. I can't tell if its because he's too angry to speak or if he's busy making sure the Cullen's aren't upset.” Colin shrugs, looking back into the doorway behind him where everyone had vanished after Paul was pulled off of Max.

        “I'm pretty okay, guys.” Maximus suddenly said, twisting a bit to show how unmangled he was. Everyone noticed the grimace he almost, almost, hid.

        “You're one of those things.” Colin mumbled, looking pissed. Then, louder, to hide his mild embarrassment even though he knew Max hadn't heard him, said, “You know, you better be happy that me being pissed at Paul is taking priority right now.”

        “What? What did I do? I’m the one who lost!” Max said, for a moment losing his cool. Then, he turned to Paul pointing a finger that might have been more threatening if he wasn't pouting. “Why’d you attack me anyway?”

        “Amara was fine when she was with me.” He stated. Which, ironically, was an understatement. Amy had been anything but “fine”, but at least she hadn’t tried to run off. “What did you do to her?”

        “Huh?” Max scoffed so hard it hurt and he winced. “What happened between Amy and me will stay that way because you have no responsibility over her.”

        “The hell I-”

        “Paul.”

        All eyes snap up to the doorway to see Jacob. Other than a budding bruise on his cheek bone, he looked as if he’d never ran out of the house however many hours ago. He looks at everyone, but specifically lingers on Paul, who was still riled up by Max.

        “Where’d you go?” Max asks, trying to keep any hint of annoyance from his tone.

        “Sorry.” Jacob answers instead, looking a bit sheepish. “I needed time to talk things out with Renesmee. I just got back and Sam told me what happened while I was gone.” He pauses to frown at Paul. “We should go back home before the Cullen's kick us out.”

        “Think you can stand?” Colin asks Max, holding out his hand. Maximus takes a moment to take a deep breath before he smiles and lets the younger male pull him to his feet. Any mild hostility from seconds ago had been dropped and Max was back to his annoyingly passive grins. Colin made sure to glare daggers at Paul as he walked with Max out of the room.

        Paul moves to follow, but Jacob stops him. They both wait to speak until they’re sure Max is out of hearing distance.

        “I didn’t have this talk with Sam and I’m not going to have it with you.” Paul grumbles.

        “Which talk?” Jacob asks, crossing his arms. “The one about you kicking the crap out of a human in the middle of a house of vampires? Or the one about how we never touch another wolves soulmate? Or how about the one about how you aren’t talking to anyone about your imprint?” He drops his arms as Paul burns a hole through his shoulder with how hard he was glaring. “We need to-”

        “We don’t need to do jack shit. Now get out of my way.” He tries to push past, but Jacob holds his ground.

        “I know it’s not easy.” Jake tries. “The imprinting and the world shifting, but if you try to handle Amy the same way you do other girls-”

        “Shut up!” Paul shoves Jacob away, growling gutterly. “Shut up! I’m tired of everyone coming to me and trying to talk like they understand this bullshit! What? You want me to have some emotional talk about how much I love this complete stranger? No fucking duh I love her - that’s what imprinting does! But I’m not going to suddenly be a love sick puppy like you or Sam. Both of you can stop sticking your snouts in my life.” Paul quickly turns and charges towards the glass door.

        “Paul! Where are you going?”

        “Where do you think!”

        By the time the cold wind outside hits Jacob, Paul had already shifted and was a dark blurb in the night. Jacob was ready to give chase, but he hears Sam a couple rooms over telling the Cullens goodnight. He decides to leave Paul.

        Plus, Paul was right, Jake knew exactly where he was going.

 

 

 

        When Paul had first shifted, his normal temper had escalated to the point that violence was easier than opening his mouth and yelling. Not specifically violence to another person, but more towards tree trunks or really any hard surface nearby. If it wasn’t the pain of his bloody knuckles that snapped him out of his rage, than he’d end up shifting, the animal taking over. At first, for about the beginning week, Paul tried his damndest to never shift because of anger. He quickly gave up, since the wolf was too hard and exhausting to fight. It wasn’t until Sam hurt Emily in his own rage did Paul start punching things again.

        That or running.

        Paul was a fighting man. If something freaked him out enough to trigger his flight or fight, he’d always throw a punch. He’d make a left hook before his brain could even register the danger he faced. When it came to his normal bad temper, though, he found it safer to eject himself from the situation and go wolf it out in the woods.

        It was calming to go running through the forest. On the good nights, one’s where he wasn’t on patrol with his pack and he was the only shifter out, he’d bask in it.

        The warmth of the fur hugging him, eyes that’d catch moonbeams humans couldn’t see, ears that could hear the nightlife sleeping, and a nose that could smell the rain soaking the ground from days earlier.

        Paul had a bad temper, sure, everyone knew that, but it wasn’t like he ran away every time he grew upset. He’d probably shift for being irate once or twice a week.

        Since meeting Amara it was almost seven times a week.

        Amara.

        By herself she wasn’t infuriating--

        ...Fuck that. Everything Amy did was giving Paul some reason to hit his head against a wall. From her knowing looks to her particular way she calmly started fights with him without batting an eye.

        Her oblivious bravery pissed him off. Her quietness pissed him off. The way her hair puffed up throughout the day pissed him off.

        How this woman could ever be his soulmate he’d never know.

        …

        He knew exactly why. He was too busy being angry, mostly with Jacob for being right, to think too much into that though.

        All he was doing was making sure Amara got home safe. She was being stupid for running off in the middle of the night to head home without Max. Not like Paul really liked how close she was with Max, but it was better than her driving home while emotional.

        Something about Amy being emotional at all was almost scary.

        He can hear her before he sees the house.

        Amara wasn’t talking or anything, but her slow heartbeat and the sound of her breathing was loud - entirely because it was the only thing he could focus on. As soon as his ears picked her up, they had blocked out everything else.

        Like the first day he ever say the woman, he moves to the edge of the forest in line with the front of her house. Avoiding the trees he knew were easily moved, he lowers himself down and lays his snout on top of his paws.

        Amara was standing near the back of her house, back against the wall. If she still had her screen door up, he would’ve been able to see what was in the room in front of her. Instead, he only hears that something in that room starts up a ditty and the woman is slow to slide from her lax position towards it.

        Paul growls when his wolf starts getting antsy when the woman is out of his sight.

        That’s definitely what pissed him off the most. Ignoring the sham destiny of soulmates, the idea of giving up your life for someone else, the idea that he couldn’t exist perfectly fine by himself; what really upset him was how it felt like there were two minds going off inside his head. Sure, it was uncomfortable in the beginning but all shifters got used to it, eventually.

        Now, it felt like he had his wolf in a headlock and it was furiously struggling against him so it could run towards the ginger.

        Amy pops back into view and walks closer as she goes into the living room. Paul can hear her dog, Canis (who named their dog Canis? It was worse than those people who named their dog weirdly normal human names. Like…. Jeff) quickly run after her human. The freckled girl dumps the basket of clothes she’d been balancing on her hip onto the couch and mechanically begins sorting through the items.

        Something was off. Most likely she was still bothered by whatever happened at the Cullen’s.

        What did happen? He knew the place reminded her of her abusive mom--

        and dad? Would Amy consider it abuse? Paul didn’t know all the details; but when Amara was explaining it to him he had felt like hunting down her so called mom and “discussing” the proper way to handle kids. That had been more or less his instincts talking than him decoding the hidden messages in Amy’s body language. Which was as hard as, if not harder than, learning some crazy language like Chinese.

        -- but something had happened between her and Max that had set her off. Wasn’t Maximus supposed to do the opposite? He was the one who was supposed to calm her down and be there for her.

        And now she was home alone in the early hours of the dark morning, doing laundry.

        Paul should’ve bruised another one of that man’s ribs.

        Paul really was happy Collin was refusing to shift, and that he was the only one shifted, because if that kid heard what he was thinking about his soulmate… Yeah, no. That was not a fight he wanted to have.

        Amy stacks the clothes in multiple piles and picks up one to take somewhere but pauses. Hesitantly she sets the pile down and stares at one of the clothes she’d forgotten-

        Wait. That was… wasn’t that his jacket?

        He totally forgot Amy had walked out of the Cullen’s with it.

        ...

        Wasn’t there, like, a sandwich still in the pocket? God, he hoped there wasn’t a semi-raw meat filled fucking sandwich in his jacket that was now in the possession of his soulmate. He might not be big on the whole destiny thing but that would just be wrong in so many ways.

        Luckily, Amara doesn’t focus too much on his coat and instead pulls out her cell phone. Paul hears the answering machine instantly pick up.

        “Percy,” Amy begins; Paul almost immediately feels his grip loosen on his animal at the unfamiliar name. “Sorry I haven’t called you in awhile.” The ginger bounces on the balls of her feet before she begins pacing.

        “Life’s been… busy. Last time I told you about how I had to sell the house. Max really likes the new place, though, so it’ll be hard to get him back to Nevada when…” Canis presses her black nose against the glass of the low windows and barks. Paul stands up, growling.

        He didn't give a fuck who “Percy” was, but if he planned to suddenly appear in La Push to take Amy back to Nevada, he had another thing coming.

        “I haven’t told Max yet, but I know you listen to my voicemails. Your box would’ve been full by now if you didn’t.” Canis barks again. This time Amy hears it and opens the front door to follow the pup outside.

        As soon as Amara leans against the railing of the porch, focusing on the phone at her ear, Canis skips over the lawn of green and heads straight for Paul. She sniffs at some of the taller blades of grass that had been missed the last time whoever mowed. Paul holds his breath and sinks down as the terrier nears his hiding place.

        “There’s a lot I want to talk about. Which is something I’m sure you’re not surprised by.”

        Canis’s chocolate eyes flicker up and the dog freezes when she meets the wolf's face. Immediately he grunts a rumble of a near growl, hoping to convey he wasn't about to eat her.

        “For instance, Max’s extended family, of sorts, seems to view me as another member. They go out of their way to make me feel welcomed.”

        Paul shifts slowly, lowering his head, making his already recumbent position even smaller so he wouldn’t intimidate the small dog. Canis growls, as if warning Paul, the giant wolf, that she could fight, but immediately she pushes herself even closer to him and sits down with a dopey smile.

        “Also, Max is determined, and successful, at keeping that promise you forced him to make. No fights and no blood. A new man in a sense.”

        Paul ignores Canis instead to peer around her at Amy. She was still unaware of him and her dog, looking up towards the stars. Instead of the usual emotionless look or the small, tiny, smile she’d sometimes wear when she visited with Max, her whole face was contorted.

        “And today I even found a house that was just like our family home. It made me physically sick to stay inside of it. Even Max looked upset.” Amy falters- stutters really, on a deep inhale. She’d  been talking a mile a minute and had almost stopped breathing.

        “Percy come home.” She sighs out, eyes pinching shut. “Come home--”

        The phone clicks as a robotic voice cuts Amy off viciously. She flinches and listlessly drops her hand from her ear.

        Paul’s heart skipped nauseatingly. Amara was spilling her heart out to this “Percy” so easily. He wasn’t jealous though (well he obviously was but he was more focused on why he felt sick) he was guilty.  Not only because he had listened to Amy talk about things she obviously wasn’t comfortable talking to him about to someone else, but also because he beat up her best friend. The same best friend that happened to have made a promise to not get into fights. Paul wanted to give him credit and say Max had just taken the attack, but the kid had almost immediately punched Paul in the jaw. Even being a supernatural shifter, Maximus’s hits had stung... A little.

        Canis rubs her face against the top of Paul's head. He pulls away, giving the pup a look, but she ignores it in favor of barking excitedly.

        She wanted to play.

        Paul wanted to stay hidden as he watched her owner.

        Neither were happy when Amara calls for Canis, both interrupting the pups plans and drawing attention to Paul’s hiding place.

        “Canis?” Amy calls, louder, and Paul sends the small dog a look, hinting for her to hurry out towards her owner. Her ears flattened and she glanced out to the lit up porch and then back to him. He growls, but the noise doesn’t deter her hesitance.

        He nudges his snout against her side.

        She still refuses.

        “Canis!” At the hint of fear at the end of Amara’s yell, the small dog immediately turns and emerges from the foliage. Amy’s sigh of relief calms Paul’s nerves.

        The dog, however, refuses to move farther and looks back to Paul.

        “Come here Canis.” Amara calls again, patting her thighs. Yet, the pup still waits, staring back at Paul, as if silently asking for him to follow.

        He growls loudly, barking and snapping at the pooch, trying to scare her off.

        “Canis!”

        Canis happily barks back at Paul and sticks out her rolling tongue.

        Paul grunted. Even Amara’s dog was annoying, just like her. That fact that neither feared a giant growling wolf made him wonder if either of them were sane.

        Creeping out from the branches, Paul focuses on the sound of Amy’s breathing, instead of trusting his wolf to meet her eyes. He’s positive if he looks at her he’ll lose his cool.

        The woman’s breathing stops for a brief second and then she sucks it in quickly. Canis barks and runs ahead to paw at Amy’s legs. Paul keeps his down as he watches the white and black dog.

        He can hear Amy’s heart pounding in her chest.

        Logically, Paul should turn around and head back into the woods. He was shifted and had already crossed a line listening to Amy.

        Logically if she was anyone else he wouldn’t even hesitate to approach her if he felt like it. If she was anyone else he would’ve turned around once Canis first approached him and headed back home because he’d lost interest. Honestly if she was anyone else he would’ve never even come to check on her in the first place.

        Amara backs up slowly, whispering to her dog as she corrals her back into the house. However, when the door doesn’t click shut, Paul looks up.

        Creeping closer across the moonlit yard, he makes his way over to the houses front porch. He stops at the beginning of the stairs, waiting to hear Amara farther in the house; or waiting to hear her calling animal control on her phone.

        Instead he hears he soft heartbeat just on the other side of the door.

        Paul moves closer.

        “You’re not as scary as a coyote.” The ginger suddenly says. The wolves head pops up to spot Amy, but doesn't see her. He instead notices the front door is ajar. He shifts slowly, making sure not to scare her, so he can just see into the crack from the distance he was at. Her hazel orbs glean at him from the dark of her house.

        Paul feels like pray.

        “You are the size of a bear,” She relents quietly. Paul would’ve believed she was talking to herself if it wasn’t for the fact she was staring straight at him. Of course, because he was shifted, she probably did think she was talking to herself. “But you didn’t try to eat Canis. Coyote’s tried to eat Canis.” She blinks. “And me.”

        Paul lays down, then, trying to coax more out of the ginger. She blinks again, her brows furrowing as she intently studies him.

        “You’re so domestic for your size. Maybe you escaped from someone's house?” She shakes her head and her fluffy orange curls bounce against her jaw. Then, as if feeling the said strands, she brings a fingertip to trace the glowing white slice over her lips. It starts under her jaw and jaggedly crawls up to stop by her nostril.

        “A coyote attacked me when I was a kid.” She taps her finger against he nose. “Since then I researched animal body language, so I wouldn’t be caught off guard. Even though you’re wild and carnivorous, you don’t show any sign of going after me.” She leans forward, almost pushing past the cracked doorway. “Why is that?”

        Paul tilts his head, wondering how she thought he’d be able to answer. He barks at her and Amy, instead of being scared, lets a small smile show.

        It makes Paul’s chest stir and he barks again rebelessly.

        The ginger opens her mouth, obviously planning on talking mindlessly towards the being she thought could never understand her, but a ping sounds and her whole face falls.

        She disappears from view and Paul’s whines out loud before he can stop it. A faint light shines and then the freckled girl is back with a blank mask.

        “Max texted me.” She says and then stands, slamming the door between them.

        Paul knew he should’ve been pissed that she slammed the door in his face.

        But his wolf was docile.

        He barks again but knows Amy wouldn’t be coming back. So, swallowing his want to scratch at the door to get the woman’s attention (he really needed to get his wolf under control) he trots back to the woods.

        As soon as he feels the leaves of the clustered branches touch his fur he breaks off into a full sprint, running away from Amara’s house. If he stayed any longer, he was positive he wouldn’t be able to leave.

        Paul runs all the way back to him house, images of a owl-eyed ginger pacing through his head.


End file.
